AARP Listen up! Here is what I see!

I was in  the lab yesterday getting my blood drawn. My A1C has been creeping up and so we keep track of it.

While I was waiting for the tech, a beautiful straight tall lady walked in and sat in the chair opposite. I sized her up and judged her to be younger than myself by 10 years. I am 77. Imagine my surprise when she revealed that she was 81.

See this is not that unusual anymore. I am learning to figure it out. The definition for old is changing so rapidly it is amazing. The idea that people will work longer and be healthy for years more has become a reality.

It is those people that have "worked" and I mean "worked" at jobs lifting boxes, digging ditches and wearing out their bodies more in one day than someone like me did in my whole life that are breaking down. A bad back or worn hips, knees or even hands is coming back to haunt them.

The other trend that I am seeing and hearing about is medications issues. So many old people are telling me that the mistakes with meds is making them sicker that they really are. My neighbor was on medication to lower blood pressure...his blood pressure dropped so far he could not walk. Another med he was taking also was causing problems. An man at the golf course in Tucson....well you get the idea. I personally had to quit a statin because it was poisoning me.

I'm sure that AARP has some wonderful statistics about aging. I only know what I see in my life with around me. What has been your experience?

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I like the writing over at Aging in Place. This piece about the dangers of removing all risks was especially interesting.