How to Cope With Loss During the Holiday Season

POSTED: JANUARY 2012

By Judy Fink, LCSW

Since retiring 25 years ago, Charlie plays golf twice a week always walking the course, never taking a golf cart. Instead of joining his friends for a burger afterwards, he orders a salad topped with chicken.

Sixty nine-year-old Kitty considered herself an accomplished cook but admits she learned a lot when she signed up for a nutrition class at her local hospital. Now she cooks with more fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs, and reads labels closely on anything she buys that is processed.

Pat and two friends, who are also retired, meet at a local gym three days a week to work out and catch up with one another. They call themselves “the ladies who lunge” instead of “the ladies that lunch.”

Charlie, Kitty and Pat have not discovered the Fountain of Youth but they have found something close to it – the benefits of exercise and proper diet as they age.

Dennis Villareal, an adjunct professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, published a study in the New England Journal of Medicine that found that diet and exercise together improved physical performance by 21% in obese older adults. He established that a lack of mobility in this population puts them at greater risk for developing high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.

Exercise combined with a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and proteins such as fish and chicken have been shown to decrease a person’s chances of developing the so-called diseases of aging including cancer, heart disease and diabetes. It’s a lifestyle that everyone should adopt as a way of improving the quality of life. What better time to establish some new habits than the start of a new year!

Census figures show that the number of Americans living to age 90 and beyond has tripled in the past 30 years. Estimates are that it will quadruple by 2050. Physicians and researchers agree that the key to being able to live independently for seniors 90+ will be good health based on a lifestyle that incorporates exercise and good nutrition.

While adults have long been encouraged to plan for their retirement financially, many may not have given much thought to the diet and exercise habits they need to adopt to live long and healthy lives. Even small changes can make a difference. Increasing the steps we take each day can have significant health benefits. Some easy ways to add steps to our daily routines include:

--taking the stairs instead of escalators or elevators

--walking instead of taking the car on short-distant errands

--parking the car far from our destination and walking the rest of the way

Walking is a low-impact exercise that has high impact results. It’s popular because just about everyone can do it. Plus, other than a comfortable, supportive pair of walking shoes, no expensive equipment is required. It’s a free activity that can produce numerous health benefits ranging from controlling blood pressure to protecting against hip fracture.

However, if you are planning to start a walking program, consult your physician. Once you have clearance from your doctor, begin your program at a comfortable pace and gradually increase to at least 30 minutes a day, four or five times a week. Be sure to stay hydrated, dress appropriately and walk in safe, well-lit areas.

The start of a new year is always full of promise. Take a step in the right direction by incorporating exercise and proper nutrition into your lifestyle.

Judy Fink, LCSW, Director of Geriatric Services at Westchester Jewish Community Services, Ms. Fink blogs regularly at www.wjcs.com/seniorblog. For more information, call 761-0600, X340.

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