A to Z Blogging Callenge over

The Blogging from A to Z Challenge is finally over. I'd like to thank everyone who has visited this blog during the challenge- and apologise if I have deleted your comments, a blip occurred and deleted a whole lot (probably my fault when intending to delete spam!). Doing the challenge has made me think and reflect on my experiences while visiting the University of Southern California alongside my experience of working as an OT. It has sparked off some new ideas that I hope to be blogging about in future...
Congratulations to everyone else who completed the challenge- it's not easy!

blue Zones

 

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The final post in this year’s Blogging from A to Z Challenge and fittingly it is a subject that looks to the future. My theme for the month has been ‘Age Proof Your Life”. My posts have included ideas that we can all do as individuals as well as some that work at the level of a whole community or government policy.

I began this blog because I was awarded a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust travel award in 2011 and it is also satisfying that my final post is inspired by the work of another Churchill Fellow, Jan McClory. I heard Jan speak at the recent AGM of the Scottish Association of Churchill Fellows. Her subject was “Old and Healthy? Can Scottish Communities ever become Blue Zones?

Jan is a Social Worker based in Scotland and spoke about the factors that contribute to Scotland’s poor health record- now being recognised as more complex than the oft mentioned issues of poverty and poor diet. She explained that there has been a lot of research into the factors that are present in communities around the world that have long life expectancy- and perhaps more important, healthy long lives. Examples of communities that have been studied are in parts of Japan, Costa Rica, Sardinia, Greece and Loma Linda in California.

These communities with healthier, happier and more productive older citizens have become known as Blue Zones. Pilot projects are being carried out in the US to see if the same can be achieved in communities there. Pilot sites are Minnesota, Iowa and Beach Cities, Los Angeles. Very specific methodologies are used and all aspects of life within the community are included- home, work, the town, friends and so on.

 Jan’s full report will very soon be available on the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust website and can be found by following this link (not yet live at the time of writing this post):

http://www.wcmt.org.uk/fellowships/fellows-reports.html?option=com_reports&task=listReps&Itemid=13&rep_search=1&year=2012&cat=&country=&author=McClory&phrase=Phrase

I am very much looking forward to reading the full report.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read and comment on the posts in this series. I hope you have enjoyed reading them and that you have found some inspiration to help you Age Proof your life.

Young at Heart

 

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Young at Heart

Frank Sinatra, written by Riley B King.

Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you

If you're young at heart.

For it's hard, you will find, to be narrow of mind

If you're young at heart.

You can go to extremes with impossible schemes.

You can laugh when your dreams fall apart at the seams.

And life gets more exciting with each passing day.

And love is either in your heart, or on it's way.

Don't you know that it's worth every treasure on earth

To be young at heart.

For as rich as you are, it's much better by far

To be young at heart.

And if you should survive to 105,

Look at all you'll derive out of being alive!

And here is the best part, you have a head start

If you are among the very young at heart.

Perhaps the definitive ‘age proof your life’ lyrics...

X... Let's Talk About...

 

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Let’s talk about…

Has anyone seen the bittersweet, sad and funny film Song for Marion? It is one of many films in recent years that have older people starring in roles that portray real life issues and some of the realities of getting older.

In the film Vanessa Redgrave plays a seriously ill woman who gets much enjoyment from singing with her local (and somewhat unusual) community choir. Her grumpy husband (Terence Stamp) is completely unimpressed. The film follows the changes the choir makes for him and their family as their story unfolds.

One of the highlights of the film is the choir performing the Salt n Pepa hit “Let’s Talk About Sex” to an astonished and delighted audience.

The film has lots of messages about Age Proofing your life. For a trailer follow this link:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1047011/

And for Salt n Pepa’s brilliant 1991 original, here is another link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzfo4txaQJA

1991? That’s 22 years ago. Hope S & P are thinking about age proofing their lives now….

Walk in Our Shoes...

 

 

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Walk in Our Shoes…

 

 

                                                                                          ….Act on our issues

Age Scotland and Generations Working Together have collaborated to produce a pack designed for use by community groups, schools and others. The pack helps the group to identify things within their own neighbourhood that are barriers to older people being included in the community. It also advises on how to get help to do something about it.

The Age UK website has lots of helpful resources for any group wanting to use the pack.

Walk in our shoes is another great example of how communities can work to Age Proof the lives of older people- and help other generations understand the issues older people may face.

More information is available by following this link:

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/scotland/get-involved/campaign/end-isolation-campaign/walk-in-our-shoes-act-on-our-issues/?itc=0&ito=6741&itv=1045190845133

Visions...

 

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‘Occupation can create new visions of possible selves’ (Mandel et al 1999- see Books tab at top of page)

The Lifestyle Redesign® approach in Occupational Therapy includes using occupations, or activities, to help individuals create new ‘visions’ of possible future selves. In a simple way, we can all relate to this if we think about the way we feel as we begin a new fitness regime, have a wardrobe clear out or de-clutter our desk at work. In the process we imagine how we will behave and how our daily life will be different as we adopt the new habits we have embarked on… we can also all relate to the fact that sometimes several attempts are needed before the vision becomes a reality!

Occupational Therapists using this approach use activities and the seemingly ordinary, everyday narrative that naturally develops to help an individual explore possible new ‘visions’ of the person they might be in the future. If someone has a medical condition that seriously impacts on their daily life, or has had a life changing injury, this process can help to build a self image that ‘bridges’ the old self and the new. 

We are what we do and the process of developing a vision of a future self is something to consider when Age Proofing your life. Talking about the present and future changes in your life, trying new activities and generally following some of the ideas from this A-Z series of blog posts will help to support you in the process of exploring possible new ways of being through doing.

Even when life is changing and we cannot do all that we used to, engaging in daily activities and routines that have a sense of meaning allow us to experience a vision of a future worth living.

UK....

 

Age UK….

…is the registered charity formed from the merger of the former Age Concern and Help the Aged.  Age UK works to “improve later life for everyone by providing life-enhancing services and vital support”.

I have mentioned Age UK several times during the A-Z Blogging Challenge so I thought it really ought to have a post all to itself. It is such a fantastic source of information and advice on anything relevant to older people. It provides services, advice, products and training as well as carrying out research and campaigning to improve older people’s lives (see my S post about the Still Waiting campaign).

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are represented by Age Scotland, Age Cymru and Age NI, all of which are merged with the umbrella organisation of Age UK.

Age UK has a brilliant website that covers a huge range of topics, from money to health to lifestyle and travel and much, much more. If you scroll down the right hand side of this page you will see a link to the Age Scotland blog under “Blogs I am Following’.  By visiting the Age UK website you can also sign up for newsletter, download podcasts or just make contact with your local branch.

If you are thinking about how to Age Proof your life, I cannot recommend Age UK too highly.

Follow this link to their website to find out more:

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/