Tuesday, 23 June 2015

Agility

I'm not sure whether my age would be described as the upper low 70s or the low middle 70s, but either way, I have noticed a distinct falling off in my agility in recent months.  Many of my joints now creak almost as loudly as a wooden sailing ship in a storm.  Just a few short weeks ago - or was it months? - I would bend down to pick something off the floor without a thought.  Now, such an action needs to be planned as if it were a military operation, taking into account all the 'what ifs' and having contingency plans for the worst case scenario.  For instance:
  • Is there something I can lean on for support as I try to bend down?
  • What if my knees can't push me back up again?  Is there something I can use for leverage to bring me back to optimum operational height?
  • Suppose me knees collapse completely and I fall on the floor.  Is there somebody in the house who will come to my rescue?  If there is nobody in the house who can do it, can I reach a phone to call for outside assistance?
  • If I have to call for outside assistance, is there a door unlocked so that they can get in without breaking a window?
And so on and so forth.

Anyway, I have accepted that I have reached the stage of increased physical ineptitude.  It does from time to time cause me concern that my physical abilities are waning do fast, especially as the Old Bat increasingly needs my assistance and I do try to keep as active as I can.  Walking the dog twice a day helps in that regard.  But physical agility is not the whole story and I must also consider my mental abilities.

Playing bingo is said to help wrinklies keep mentally alert - but that's most definitely not for me.  I'm sure a couple of evenings in a bingo hall would drive me right round the bend!  No, I prefer to exercise what mental faculties I still possess by attempting to complete the two sudoku puzzles published in my newspaper every day and then switching to the cryptic crossword.  But for the last week or ten days I have been too lazy to do that.  I must get back to it or my brain cells will shrivel up and die.
at

5 comments:

  1. joeh23 June 2015 at 13:35

    I feel your pain. I have to lasso my foot to put on my pants, and it often takes several tries. If you can do those Sudoku things your brain is just fine.

    ReplyDelete
  2. (not necessarily your) Uncle Skip23 June 2015 at 15:13

    I'm constantly reminded that I can't do all that I used to do.
    Keeping my shoes tied is at the top of the list.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Meg23 June 2015 at 20:19

    I am in my mid-70s, and in good health. I go to "Silver Sneakers" exercise classes (for old people) three to four times a week. We do cardio, weights, resistance and balance. Also one class is an elder adaptation of yoga. While I enjoy the classes, and believe they keep me moving and in good shape, I don't think they have forestalled a decrease in my balance. I now have to hold on to handrails on stairs, and actually required a helping hand at a castle on my trip last year. -- Much to my dismay!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Barb24 June 2015 at 05:10

    I have those issues and I am early sixties=but I have a knee that is crap, and getting on my knees is a no no. I cannot say enough about silver sneakers-you can sit at many of the classes and it helps my balance

    ReplyDelete
  5. Brighton Pensioner24 June 2015 at 10:20

    Joe - I didn't say I solve those sodukos, just try to!

    And I love today's quote of the day:
    George Burns
    "You know you're getting old when you stoop to tie your shoelaces and wonder what else you could do while you're down there."

    ReplyDelete