Ask the Old Bag Advice for the Over-50 Crowd
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: : by Gayle M. Lagman-Creswick
ear Old Bag: This year I discovered that many colleges, junior colleges and universities offer noncredit classes in a huge variety of subjects for seniors at very low, affordable prices. I have taken three classes on subjects that I knew very little about. Also I made some new friends! Please tell your readers about this wonderful opportunity! Signed, You can teach an old dog...
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ear New Learner: (I am not going to call you an “old dog.”) Thank you for the info. It is especially timely with the information that has come to the forefront about how new learning can be a deterrent to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. It can help to keep your brain from shrinking! Readers, if you are not already taking these classes, call your local learning institutions to see if they have a program you might like, and sign up! Signed, O.B.
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ear Old Bag: Why is it some who come to vacation with us are so great to have, while others are dreaded? And the ones you enjoy seem to spend such a short time, and the ones you dread want to stay on and on? Because we are older, and my wife is not healthy, we pretty much stay close to home. Most company we enjoy, but what can we do about those we don’t? Signed, Tired
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ear Tired: What a conundrum! If I were you, I would ask your wife if you may use her poor health as an excuse when the undesirables ask you if they may visit. “My wife is just not up to a visit at this time.” It sounds as if people love to visit you—probably because you see to it that they have a good time? The other thing you might try is to bore them so they won’t want to come back! Good luck. Signed, O.B.
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ear Old Bag: When I first began reading your column years ago, I didn’t like the name of it. However, after I learned how you got the name
www.lovinlifeafter50.com
for it, I chuckle every time I see it. My husband and I look forward to reading it and are not offended. Keep it up! Signed, Loyal Readers
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ear Loyal Readers: I am receiving emails from both sides of the aisle on this matter. I will publish some of both next month and make a decision whether to change the name or not. Send in your opinions! Thank you, O.B.
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ear Old Bag: I have just learned that my dear wife has dementia. I knew something was drastically wrong, but was still not prepared for this. Honestly, I don’t think I can handle it. She was always the strong one, the active one, the one everyone depended on. This is more than I can handle. I think our whole family is in a state of shock. What now? We are in our 60s. Signed, Hopeless
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ear Hopeless: First of all, as long as there is life, there is hope. And at this time there is nothing you can do to alter the diagnosis, but you can and must change your attitude about it. You need help—help from family, help from a professional, help from a support group and help from God. Please begin with professional help. You will find that you have hidden strength that you didn’t even know you had. Learn as much as you can about the disease. My heart goes out to you. Blessings to you and your family. One little tip: As her disease progresses you must find healthy ways to take care of yourself—which includes regular time away from your wife and her illness to avoid burn out. Signed, O.B.
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ear Readers: To those of you participating in our kindness to humanity program to teach the next generation, our assignment this month is to make time to get to know a veteran and thank him or her for service to our country. You might take him or her to lunch, or listen, if they want to talk.
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July 2014 : : Lovin’ Life After 50 : : page 11