Getting old - 'Accomodation'
Finding you current accomodation isn't appropriate
the garden's too big to manage
you can't do the stairs
the bathroom is upstairs and inappropriate
you'd have to modify your house to be able to stay there
you'd have to get a gardener
maybe you are unable to modify your current house
you have to consider moving
you have to move
you have to downsize
what to get rid of
maybe you have to move to sheltered accomodation
move away from friends and life-long connections!
even moving into a home
Getting old - 'Food'
The practicalities
Food in jars
tins
boxes
packets - are you able to open them
are they too heavy to lift
can you get them down from cupboards and shelves
is your kitchen suitable anymore for you to cook in
are you safe in the kitchen now
where is your food going to come from
if you're not able to buy it yourself
not wanting to impose on neighbours
not having a clue about the internet
not able to order food online
what options do you have
Getting old - 'Eating'.
what are you going to eat
can you cook it or are you going to eat 'ready made food'
sandwiches
cold pies and pasties
the quality of your diet will decrease
you might need help to cook
you won't be able to cook like you used to
you'll be cooking what you can
not cooking what you want
you might not feel like eating anyay
all the equipment you now need
having to use specially adapted knives and forks to eat with
having to use special plates with enlarged edges to keep your food on the plate
unable to eat without assistance
dropping more food on the floor than you ate
not really feeling hungry
can't be bothered
Getting old - 'Tablets'
Chances are you'll have an illness
Illness means tablets
lots of tablets
having to order lots of tablets
having to reorder lots of tablets
remembering to order enough of the right tablets
having a system to manage all your tablets
remembering to take all of your tablets
remembering to take the tablets at the right time
remembering which tablets you have taken
and suffering with the side effects from all those tablets.
Getting old - 'Sleep'.
Always feeling sleepy
falling asleep
always falling asleep
falling asleep in your chair
falling asleep in the doctor's waiting room
falling asleep on the bus
falling asleep at the dinner table
falling asleep anywhere - everywhere
yet not able to sleep through the night.
Getting old - 'The memory'.
Simply loosing your train of thought
loosing it often
loosing your memory
loosing your memory occasionally
loosing your memory mid-sentence
loosing your memory often
not recognising people
not recognising family members
not able to look after yourself
Getting old - 'Illness'.
Suffering falls
bones break and limbs are injured so easily
becoming unwell
picking up everything that's going around
being suseptible to illness
not wanting to bother the doctor
having to have home help
having to have strangers come and get you out of bed in the morning -
then
having strangers come and get you ready for bed
being unwell with things you previously shook off
the slightest thing knocking you back
becoming mentally unwell
becoming forgetful
becoming very forgetful
becoming demented
not knowing anyone
drifting away
Getting old - 'Loss'.
Letting go
having to let go
handing in your driving licence
letting go of the car
loosing items
remembering where you put things
loosing your independence
loosing close friends
loosing family members
loosing a life partner...
loosing your mind
loosing the world
and finally
...the world loosing you.
