Calling Marcus Welby

Gary Barg, Editor-in-Chief

I have been telling anyone who will listen to me anymore around here that as I just turned 66 years old last month, it’s time for me to write my autobiography. Working title: “From bar-tabs to co-pays in 40 short years” Not that I was that much of a barfly, but the dichotomy between where your expenses go from your mid-twenties to your mid-sixties is extreme, to say the least.

And although I’ve learned about some ologists I’ve never heard of before in the last few years, my health is pretty good for an early-stage geezer. Next up, cataract surgery. It’s just that I feel like an automobile, the moment after the warranty expires, when all of the sudden you are hit with mechanical situations that you’ve never heard of before.

So here is my short Caregiver Curmudgeon’s Guide to Geezerhood.

Don’t let any medical professional tell you that any of your healthcare challenges are due to old age. Last I looked, that wasn’t a certified illness.
As I am now in bed already for three hours by the time I used to go out, maintain a solid sleep schedule. Even if it means putting your phone in the other room, so you can’t search Facebook for any single interesting piece of information when waking up for those 2am, 3am and 4am bathroom visits.
Even the best healthcare organizations have become a far cry from the Dr. Marcus Welby or Dr. Kildare days (if you don’t know who these gents are, you are exempt from these suggestions).
I used to think it was most important to live near work or even a good school district, now I think it is most important to live near the best hospital in your community.
Don’t stop exercising, just adjust your workout to one that is more suited to creaky joints; long walks at moderate speeds, yoga stretching can help keep you out of the statistics of the many who fall at our age.
Tv is nice. But social interaction is one of the best ways to keep your cognitive abilities sharp. If you are still concerned about getting out and about, Facetime is as good to visit old friends as it is to keep in touch with the great-grandkids.
Go to that 50^th high school reunion. Old friends are the best friends. (besides, you probably look younger than most of those geezers).
And the next time a 20 something says “sir” or “ma’am,” don’t look around to see who they are talking to, it’s definitely you.

P.S. the time is now to make these changes, after all you are closer to being 80 than you are to being 40.

I need a nap…

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Comments (3)

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exercise

Upon interviewing 6 people at or over 100 years old 2 male 4 female everyone of the 6
exercised well into late 90's and 5 had a drink a day. Totally convinced exercise is the single most important factor to good health. None smoke.

Rick more than 2 years ago

Keep Active

Keep active, especially in these Golden Years that aren't so Golden, physically and mentally. Friends are the best way,whether it is just talking, playing golf, or playing cards such as bridge. At almost 77, my mind says I can play softball like I did in my early 50s but my body says no way. When my late wife was at home or in a nursing facility because of her Alzheimer's, I had to stay healthy, both physically and mentally, to take care of her. You have to be able to challenge nursing homes that were not taking care of the patients, especially when it is your loved one. I still do my own yard work and some carpenter work. Bad shoulders prevent me from doing things over my head but it does not keep me from trying.

Wilson more than 2 years ago

Second opinions

Always get a second opinion before surgery. I just cancelled a hernia surgery that I scheduled a few weeks ago. I’m doing the pre-op evaluation, my primary insisted that I get a second opinion because I was told it was not necessary.

Arthur more than 2 years ago