The Hub October 2022

IN THE

LONG

RUN

By CHARLIE UPSHALL

CHANGE IS OPPORTUNITY

“Change before you have to.” Jack Welch

“If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living.”

Gail Sheehy

“The greatest discovery is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.”

Oprah Winfrey

How often have I said, “But I’ve always done it that way.” or “That’s not how I do it.”? Too often. I’m not talking about changing because of the expectations of others or because of any need to fit in. I’m talking about adapting to and improving upon, my personal circumstances.

As I am aging, my physical capabilities are diminishing. That does not mean it is time to give up doing physical chores and completely rely on the services of others. I do not have to give up cutting my own lawn, shovelling my own snow, cooking my own meals, driving myself, etc. However, it has become apparent that I can’t run like I used to, so I walk more, and I can’t go down stairs like I used to, so I descend one step at a time, and there are a few other things related to my replacement knees and my balance. I have to adapt in order to retain my independence. I am fighting to keep that independence with all my will.

That being said, some change simply makes good sense and it’s not entirely about aging either. New systems and technologies can make indisputable improvements on the ways of earlier years. The ideas of others are frequently better than mine. How willing am I to incorporate new ways of doing things, as opposed to clinging to familiar methods and routines through habit and inertia? For example, I still pay my bills by mail.

The whole process of change is not as simple as just saying, “Okay, I’ll do it the new and improved way.” People often find it harder to adapt to new situations and methods as they age. Activity in a key brain circuit that allows us to adapt to change fades with age. This circuit is critical to developing new strategies to meet goals. For example, when a person experiences a big change in life such as acquiring a disability or moving to a new house, they must change the way they meet everyday goals. Younger people find it easier to cope with such change by finding new ways of acting to achieve their goals. But if older people stop trying to adapt, they run the risk of becoming apathetic. The brain is similar to a muscle. The more you work it, the more it responds.

In general, older persons are less adaptable because they respond more slowly to stimuli and take longer to learn new material. Sometimes there is a fear of change because we think our coping skills will be too limited. Sometimes we simply forget what we were going to implement and we revert to patterns and techniques we are comfortable with.

A key to the successful implementation of beneficial change is motivation. I will be much more likely to change a methodology or a routine if it is what I have determined I want for myself, whether I thought of it or not, rather than something someone else is just telling me is best for me. I have to buy into the adaptation. As with my upcoming move to a smaller house and property, I am trying to be proactive, setting myself up while I have control of the process, not being forced into something because I no longer have the capability or will to make appropriate, beneficial decisions.

It is simply a fact that as you age, your body will change. How you approach these changes can determine how big the impact is on your life. The following are seven generally age-related changes many older adults face: arthritis, osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, vision and hearing loss, influenza and pneumonia, and balance and stability issues. There are various ways to help avoid and to manage these agerelated challenges.

If it is important to you to live the best life that you can, then you will try to look after your physical, mental and emotional health. As abilities and circumstances evolve, it seems obvious to me that change, and learning to change, are essential. Once you allow yourself to

change when it is needed to improve your situation, once you do make a change, you will become aware of the benefits and so begin to feel a renewed sense of well-being.

I have made some decisions to change and have had suggestions given to me by people I respect. I have followed up. I have come to understand that the process takes time for me. My natural inclination is to stay with what I am used to, but the more I think about a proposed change, the more likely I will end up agreeing. I am fortunate to know people who have good knowledge and also a good understanding of me.

Now is always a time to learn and now is always a time to consider what is beneficial in order to grow as a person. I don’t believe in change for the sake of change. However, I am learning to believe that constant resistance to change is not the way to be. Change is opportunity. The world, and my life, are not what they were years ago. Why would I be?

References:

The Adaptation Process of Aging. Cambridge University Press, 2019.

ABC Science, 2016.

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