I like the Boy Scout motto, so I am going to use it here, as I have mentioned it in my book, “A New Wrinkle: What I Learned from Older People Who Never Acted Their Age.” We are in an age of change. Change allows us the opportunity to either go with it by being flexible, or go against it by doing some other kind of behavior. A seven point primer for aging boomers is as follows:

1. Be prepared. That is be prepared for change and what you may need to do to adapt or change yourself.
2. Plan to work and work to plan. We all need a plan on where we need to go and how we are going to get there. As the late, great American philosopher, Yogi Bera once said, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” So, formulate your goals from your core values and make them part of your strategic life plan. Set time aside to think about what it is you want to accomplish in the next three to five years. Write these down. Then set a list of objectives on paper supporting your goals. Then develop an action plan.
3. Plan to change. Be open to change. Be ready to change your plan if necessary. Plan for retirement the same way you plan to work. Be accepting of change.
4. Know thyself. In all of your planning, get to know how you think, what you want for yourself, and why. Be accepting of yourself.
5. Learn to give your gifts away. I have always advocated that none of us know what gifts we have until we give them away. Volunteer and get out of yourself. This will help to empower you and others.
6. Challenge yourself. Work your brain and stay young. Exercise your brains. Exercise your bodies. Stay social. Stimulate and rekindle your inner child. This will enable you to continue to be curious and spontaneous. Have fun and enjoy each day. Live in the moment.
7. Forgive. Forgive yourself for not meeting the expectations of others and forgive others for putting their expectations on to you. This way you can continue to develop your sense of self, be yourself and increase your self-esteem. Forgiveness is freeing and brings on new vistas and capability for achievement and introspection.

It’s quiet… No one is talking or even thinking about the inevitable. A blackness of silence permeates the room, the family, the individual; stillness, only shattered by one’s thoughts waiting to be heard.

It is the news that someone in your family has been diagnosed with cancer, the BIG C we call it; and now the fear factor is working in overdrive. It’s quiet because no one knows what to say or even do at this point. Panic sets in. There are doctor’s appointments to make, medicine’s to buy, tests to take and a thousand things clouding one’s mind. All of these things happening, yet blanketed by the fear, the choked back tears, the “Why Me?” questions in a process of denial that has started to worm its way into your head. Yet there is light ahead in the form of hope.

It is called Hospice care. If recognized early enough, a condition that is life-threatening, like cancer, can be referred to hospice; which can prolong life, decrease pain and suffering for not only a patient but for their family too. Hospice involves a team approach to care and caring. Many people from different back- grounds make up this team; all with varying skill sets and from different professions:  The medical director, the nurses, home health aids, chaplain and social workers. All of whom who care for the patient, as this team approach engulfs the patient and their immediate family.

I was called upon by the Chinese government to go to China in 2008 to teach hospice to medical professionals, nurses and dental personnel within a hospital setting. There is no hospice in China amidst a burgeoning older population. There is no such thing as palliative care either. Teaching people in the medical field is supposed to be like “singing to the choir;” but in a country that has a different culture, different ideals and philosophy about life and death, it is like “pulling teeth” from a chicken. Two million people die from smoking habits each year in China. The only light they see is the smoldering embers of their ashes as they drift off in peace from lung cancer.

Some of the key risk factors for developing this disease are the following:

1. Age: Most Alzheimer’s patient’s are over the age of 65. The risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease increases with age.
2. Family History: Research shows that those who have a close relative with this disease are more likely to develop the disease.
3. Genetics: Scientists have identified an Alzheimer’s risk gene, which is protein variant…Gene 19.
4. Vascular Health: Good heart health, including lowering cholesterol, is linked to lower disease rates.
5. Healthy aging: keeping the brain active, being physically fit and maintaining social connections may offer some protection.
6. Head injuries: There appears to be a link between serious head injuries and developing Alzheimer’s disease…so wear a helmet when biking or climbing.