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Seniors in the Building

Seniors in the Building

por Elaine Sauer, Rick Sauer, Signe Swanson, Jack Waschenfelder

Salud y estado físico Sociedad y Cultura

Temporada 4

What Are We Still Looking Forward To?

In this brief but mighty podcast (cut short by construction noise) we not only share the things that we still look forward to, but also those things that keep us leaning toward tomorrow. We look forward to being with family, taking a nap, reading in bed, and oddly enough, doctor appointments, things that in the moment give us pleasure and satisfaction. Staying curious and excited about space exploration, new science discoveries and even our own adventures as we travel keep us looking forward. The knowledge that nothing lasts forever and that eventually things will shift gives us hope and helps us to stay engaged in finding solutions when things go sideways. Ultimately, as we age, we find ways to adapt to our changing lives, counteract the down side of human nature and embrace an evolving world.

On Second Thought - Changing Our Minds

Most of us have held beliefs and opinions that once seemed right to us. But then we meet new people, have new experiences and learn new things, discovering in the process that what we once were so certain about doesn’t seem so certain anymore. In this podcast we explore some of those areas where we have changed our minds. The women’s movement helped us to shift from having a career “to fall back on” to having a legitimate career in our own right as women. We have shifted our thinking about gender identity and sexual orientation and who gets to be married and ordained. Our faith traditions broaden to include many other ways to express our religious beliefs. We have even been influenced to change what we wear and how we look, accepting a broader range of options. Listen to our interesting conversation about changing our minds.

Who Am I When Nobody Needs Me Anymore?

What happens in our lives when we notice that fewer people need us? How do we measure our worth? We are loved and beloved by our family and friends and as we age and roles shift, we must somehow accept the limits in our ability to give back to them. It does not change who we are, but it does change how we think about ourselves which can affect our sense of self-worth. Do we feel useless? Can we shift from that to just being present? It’s a process and others who have gone before can be models for us. We laughed about not being able to get up on a ladder anymore, but it is significant as a metaphor because it symbolizes a shift. It is a shift from being needed to needing help. In the end as we each face our own journey of accepting our limits and inviting people to help us, we acknowledge it as part of our human journey and being present to each other on that journey is paramount.

Keeping It Together in Challenging Times

We live in a challenging world with a lot coming at us from many directions. How do we keep our compassion, our hope and our joy alive? Or do we? We point out all the obvious ways to cope: using humour, taking a walk, reading a book, limiting the amount of bad news we watch and seeking out good news, or doing something nice for someone else. But we also acknowledge the importance of sitting with our distress and listening to the distress of others with open ears and heart. It is not so much about keeping it together as it is about working through and finding a response to challenging times that is uniquely ours and that helps us to take the right action. The conversation is one that makes us work at articulating our beliefs about human nature and how finding and hanging onto the best of our human qualities is important to counteracting the worst of human qualities abundant in the world.

No One Gets Out Alive - A Conversation About Death

What stops us from talking about death? What stops us from preparing for it? If we talk about death, can it change how we live? Do we talk about death more once we’ve experienced the death of someone close to us? As we answer these questions, our conversation moves from being aware of our death as something unique to the human species to how we are planning for our own death to sharing our stories of the deaths we’ve experienced. Talking about our own death is far easier than talking about the death of someone we love because the thought of them not being in our lives is too painful. Yet, having the conversations with loved ones is important to help us all approach our deaths with healing memories, resolved hurts and a deep love for one another so that our stories live on and our grief reflects our love.

What Makes a Good Day?

What we now think of as a good day is different than when we were younger. Now a good day can mean being able to roll with what comes, making connections with others, getting out and exercising, checking one thing off the list or simply acknowledging and accepting we are out of sorts. As we laugh and talk about not going to the emergency room as a good day and that eating ice cream makes everything better, we touch something deeper in the human condition. Acknowledging that we are complex as humans helps us understand that pain and joy coexist on a continuum. We cannot appreciate one without the other. Knowing ourselves and understanding how our minds works help us develop the strategies to make our days and our lives richer as we navigate our “good” and “bad” days. Listen to our slightly off the wall yet, insightful podcast.

Decluttering

What things do we keep, why do we keep them and how do we know when it’s time to let them go? That is the question we asked ourselves today. We have gathered and acquired things over a lifetime and now, as we transition from work to retirement and start downsizing, to make it easier for our children when we’re gone, we must figure out what to do with all this stuff. When are we going to get at all those boxes of photos that we have already moved several times? What about the things that belonged to our parents? What about the t-shirts we have hung onto? Or the books? Or the notebooks? Discerning what belongs with us now as we continue to live, remember and become who we want to be is tough. It requires being ready to feel the emotional ups and downs of a well lived life and to let go. It requires establishing a process for making those decisions especially one that works for both partners when the decisions are joint. It requires some grieving. It’s not about rejecting the past or stripping the house bare, it’s about keeping only what belongs with us now and sustains us as we move forward.

Are We Still Trying?

We are socialized to be competitive from an early age and given messages about being the smartest, most athletic, or best looking. Conversely, we are told that we are not smart enough to go to university, or athletic enough to make the team or that we are average looking. Were we competitive at a younger age to prove something? Are we still competitive? Can being competitive motivate us? Perhaps seniors are competitive in a different way than when we were young. It is hard to let go of the competitiveness that we once had, especially if we have health issues but the motivation seems to shift from trying to be better than someone else out of fear or insecurity, to bettering ourselves as a way to find joy or contentment.

On a Break.

A brief reminder that we're taking a brief break

Temporada 3

Is This Still Possible? Fragile Wishes and Longing

In earlier years we had bucket lists, things we put on a list and checked off as we accomplished them. In our 70’s we find our lists have become wishes or desires and each thing on it must be examined as to whether it is still possible. We now live under the shadow of health and financial circumstances that may be limiting, family realities and the shortening horizon of time. But that does not limit our wishes, desires or longings, we still have them and having them brings hope. Living by the ocean, becoming a personal trainer, reconciliation with a sister, seeking a way to express our spirituality, are all works in progress that capture our hearts and imaginations. We also have previous desires that we have let go of, no longer running or traveling in the United States or driving across the country are conscious choices we have stopped pursuing. Finding inspiration and meaning in our retirement is the universal impetus for our wishes and desires and is reflected in the choices we make as well as the ones we discard.

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