If you are like most people, you have a certain amount of fear and worry when it comes to aging. You’ve watched your parents, friends and other relatives grow older and witnessed first-hand, some of the challenges. You’ve begun to notice changes in yourself—a dependence on reading glasses, a changing waistline, maybe a moment of forgetfulness? And it’s hard not to get a little anxious when you look ahead ten, fifteen twenty years.
I understand! I watched as my parents grew older and took two very different paths towards aging. My mother battled depression, arthritis and alcohol abuse and watching her was sad, painful and downright scary. She lived until 80, but really spent the last 20 years of her life in steady decline. In contrast, my Dad has endured four heart procedures, prostate cancer, and caring for my mother with a cheerful attitude and an active, full life. A quick snapshot, but it’s pretty easy to see that I want to avoid aging like my mother, and achieve aging like my Dad. (He is 90.8, still playing golf most days, still very involved in his community and still our family’s undisputed favorite person.)
