Always think positive if you want positive resultsWritten by Stephen Hill
I was always somebody who felt quite sorry for myself, what I had not got compared to my friends, how much of a struggle my life seemed to be compared to others. I was caught up in a web of negativity and needed someone or something to help me to escape.During an afternoon at work one day, aged around twenty one, a colleague I was working with started to talk to me. What he said was quite upsetting and disturbing, however would have a profound effect on my future. He said to me: "Your quite a depressive person, aren't you?" "Am I?" I said this is quite a shocked voice as I believed I was no different to anybody else. He continued: "Yes you are. You very rarely smile, you are negative about most issues and you always seem to be carrying world on your shoulders". This man was aged around fifty three and continued: "I used to be like and then I was given some advice, of which I am now going to relay to you. When you feel down, depressed or sorry for yourself, read newspapers or watch news on television. You may then realise that you are in fact one of lucky ones."
| | Aging and Physical Frailty-Can It Be Helped?Written by Vincent R. Moloney MD
Aging and physical frailty in our society can be seen at every hand. Have you noticed a change in your aging parents or even a change in yourself? If not then possibly you are not looking. Maybe you are not as bouncy, not as strong, reflexes slowing; balance a little off, etc. Possibly a little worry about falls or accidents lurks in your sub- conscious mind. If so you are normal and merely displaying common sense.One of most common injuries sustained in a fall is fracture of hip. In case one thinks this is no big deal consider this: The one-year mortality rate for surgical hip fracture in elderly is a whopping 25% to 30%! (Reference "Ferri's Clinical Advisor", WB Saunders.) None of us wants to play a round of Russian roulette with odds like that. There are five main factors in falls in elderly: 1.Environmental hazards 2.Unawareness of danger 3.Medication side effects 4.Osteoporosis (softening of bones) 5.Generalized physical frailty First obvious is addressed. Scour living quarters for hazards and pitfalls and eliminate them. The bathroom is particularly dangerous especially slippery surfaces. Protect these and provide handrails. Watch that non-slip mat doesn't become more slippery than surface it is covering, this happens. Educate individuals involved as to possibility of fall and dangers and hazards. Review medication for possible side effects conducive to falls. Prevent and treat osteoporosis that makes bones more likely to fracture. Lastly we address subject of this article, physical frailty. Is this decline an inevitable consequence of aging? Yes, it is. Can it be avoided? Well, not entirely but fortunately it can be slowed and minimized because a significant part of it is due to disuse! Any human faculty or ability, mental or physical, can be strengthened by training or repeated use. Conversely, any faculty can and is weakened by neglect and infrequent use.
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