NSG 4067 Week 1 Discussion

My parents are very active and part of the baby boomer generation. My father is 67 and still working; my mother is 65 and works. In addition to their jobs, they both remain physically active in various outdoor activities such as bicycling and hiking. My philosophy of aging reflects upon my parents’ lifestyles as they age. If you live a sedentary lifestyle earlier, you will likely be sedentary when you age. I work at a local hospital adjacent to The Villages, FL, a large retirement community. Throughout my care for this patient population, I have seen how aging has affected many elderly adults with active or passive lifestyles. I believe aging is what you make it. Living a sedentary lifestyle at one age can result in poor health outcomes and increased morbidity and mortality rates (Theou et al., 2017).

I believe one reaches the title of elderly when they can no longer care for themselves as they once did. This does not necessarily relate to chronological age but to the point when the person can no longer be independent. I have cared for patients in their 80s and 90s who still live active lifestyles. I would not consider them elderly. Instead, I would categorize them just as aging adults. However, I have cared for patients in their 50s and 60s who cannot carry out their normal activities of daily living (ADLs), are considered failures to thrive, and have multiple co-morbidities affecting their health. I consider people in this category to be elderly and not aging adults. The active patients in their 80’s and 90’s, who I consider to be aging adults, align with the description in our textbook. Successful aging involves an active and non-sedentary lifestyle, positive thinking processes, increased cognitive and physical abilities, and limited co-morbidities (Miller, 2019). My grandmother is 87 years old and is a prime example of this classification. She is still very active and healthy. She only has reduced hearing and restless-leg syndrome with no other health disparities. She never stops and is always on the go. From yardwork and house-cleaning to grocery shopping, she never misses a beat. I believe her active lifestyle in her younger years has led her to be optimally healthy and active at her age. I hope to achieve that same health when I am her age by maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle just as she has.

References

Miller, C.A. (2019). Nursing for wellness in older adults (8th ed.). [Vital Source digital version]. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.

Theou, O., Blodgett, J. M., Godin, J., & Rockwood, K. (2017). Association between sedentary time and mortality across levels of frailty. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 52(4), 1534-1549. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.161034.

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