Prepared: A Book Recommendation
I know everyone means well, regardless of being older or younger than me, in assuring me I’m not old. As a birthday gift, please let me accept 68. I have more years behind me than I do ahead. I get the senior discount — the gray hair is not decorative! I’m planning for another 30, but I can tell you, I have slowed down.
Yet, I had an attitude at my last doctor’s visit when they made me do a get-up-and-go test.¹ While my slow may be another’s full speed, I know my baseline. Please allow me to have my truth for a day as I come to reckon with 68. Aging requires a little planning.
I’m not an only child, nor am I dealing with aging parents. So why would I spend 90 minutes reading this book? Curious? You can read a sample at One Observation at a Time.
For me, it was a celebration of life, reflections on parent-child relationships, and a guide to aging with laugh-out-loud moments. The quick tips at the end of each chapter, and the checklist at the end, are a guide to getting older. Seriously. As someone who lives alone, what structures do I have in place for emergencies? Who sounds the alarm if my behavior is off?
I’ve got the basics — my trust is done, I have my Next of Kin (NoK) Box, and I’ve got about 75% of the recommended stuff in there. But for everyday life as I know it now, I picked up a few tips. It’s time I review all those streaming services and recurring payments — what am I actually using? I do look for medical providers who are younger than me. Overall, I’d say, like my NoK Box, I’m at 75% of having things set up.
Another tip from the book — enjoy. So, I’ll just end it here, reflect and have fun. I know I shouldn’t need a reminder to enjoy, but I do — alas, that is another article, breaking the algorithm.
1The “Get Up and Go” test (often called the Timed Up and Go or TUG test) is a quick clinical assessment used by healthcare providers to measure an individual’s mobility, balance, and risk of falling.
2My shoes matching the book was not planned. I was just chilling on the terrace Saturday afternoon and snapped a photo to send to a friend.