I’m going to look at the same six areas of health that are used in the ToolBox, www.pastoralcarenetwork.org , but look at them from the perspective of a person in the retirement phase of his or her life. More specifically, I’m going to first look at them from the perspective of my life.
The first area is that of physical health. While there are many physical health problems that can occur with advancing age, there are several that seem to haunt all of us. The big one for me is some form of dementia, followed by forms of cancer including diabetes, then strokes, heart attacks, and on down the line. In many ways I can’t prevent my body from confronting such a reality, but there are things I can do that should help. If something comes along that I could not have prevented, then I just deal with it. However, if it is something that I could have prevented, then that will really upset me.
So in retirement, I need to pay attention to my diet. I’m an advocate of moderation and occasional exceptions in looking at a diet. I need to keep track of the various indicators of problems such as cholesterol, high blood pressure, etc. So one thing I need to do is regularly get such things checked. Then I need to be aware of what I eat, keep it balanced, and not overly indulge. Since overweight is a contributing factor for many problems, I need to monitor that continually. That doesn’t mean I can’t have some extras now and then but overall I need to pay attention: even more so in my latter years than in earlier times.
Then there is exercise. I will soon have to give up racquet ball but that doesn’t mean I just quit. I need to find a substitute that is both fun and helps the heart beat. I also need to be intentional about a weight and stretching program. Walks need to be scheduled more frequently.
Diet and exercise are two of the major factors that can help me stay in good physical health. Both change with age but should not be neglected.
