Are We Safe Yet? Lesbian, Gay, and Transgender Elders Wonder

: Written by J.J.

Do you get to know yourself better as you age? Does it become more important to you to be who you are? If you said yes to either of these questions you probably understand how meaningful it is to embrace one's identity in later life. Celebrating identity is at the root of Pride month. Pride parades and educational events lift awareness of the gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) experience. Often lost in that energetic and youthful fanfare though is the voice of the aging LGBTQ community. What's it like to be an LGBTQ elder? Are LGBTQ elders getting what they need? Is the health care system ready to care for this cohort?

Benefits of fast and slow walking--which is best?

: Written by J.J.

Walking is perhaps the best low impact exercise most people can enjoy. A daily outing rewards with many benefits. Some health improvements are noticeable while others are subtle. You'll soon recognize, for instance, that walking improves strength and stamina but less obvious is how walking may strengthen your heart, moderate blood sugar, boost your immunity and promote longer life. In this era of Fitbit and fitness at all ages one might think it's important to walk fast to gain significant benefit yet each speed is valuable to our health in its own way. Speed, like distance, is a variable you control. Learn about the benefits of each speed and vary your pace for a rounded workout.

5 Things I've learned From Dementia #3

: Written by J.J.

This month: Lesson #3 Let go, let go, let go

Artwork above from: Art of Alzheimer's

My interaction with dementia is a study in letting go. In mid to later stages, dementia is variable day to day so expected outcomes may not occur and important things like: getting to appointments, taking a walk, going on an outing, or, perhaps, even attending to hygiene or eating may not happen when I think they need to happen. Caregivers need to let it go and try again later. People experiencing the condition have already let it go and are in a protracted state of loss. They are letting go of everything they built throughout their lives: their finances, their accomplishments, their material assets and perhaps their awareness of having family. Finally they will let go of life entirely prompting their loved ones to begin their journey of letting go.

5 Things I've learned from Dementia--#2

: Written by J.J.

"Orange Lily" by Jane Kippenhan from The Art of Alzheimer's exhibit

#2 Examine your need to be "right"

Living in our polarized scientific society where it's common to hear arguments about who is right this lesson was hard to learn. Yet in dementia care one not only finds out immediately that it's counterproductive to be right but it's also not a winning strategy for establishing a therapeutic bond. The object of dementia caregiving is to become an ally and the highest priority is to establish trust because as dementia erodes judgement it is critical to know someone trustworthy to provide guidance. The reflex to be right is insidious and it pops up in language subconsciously. For example it's reflexive to say: "you're going the wrong way" which implies that you know the "right" way or "No, you didn't x" which means you hold the factual truth regarding x. Effectively supporting dementia requires a paradigm shift in communication and adopting that shift enriches my daily life and social contacts.