Old age well-being plan

 

Covering the (1) Body and Mind enhancing plan (2) Preparedness plan and (3) Diagnostics plan. The financial plan, preparation, and coverage will be discussed separately each week.

 

Principles:

  • God helps those who help themselves
  • Just like a car needs regular servicing and maintenance so does the body
  • Everyone is responsible for themselves
  • Character and health are built one activity at a time

  

Diligently follow the following well being model. Use the checklist below. Briefly record what and how much was done this week (if applicable) starting each Monday. Keep records in a folder.

 

Week starting ...................................................................................................................

 

1. Body and Mind enhancing plan

 

ITEM

Sub-category

Detail (illustrative)

Record

1. Exercise

 

1.1 Flexibility

 

1.       Formal Yoga classes at least 2-3 times a week from a fully qualified yoga instructor

 

 

1.2  Strength

 

1.       Formal weight training in the gym at least 2-3 times a week under advice from a trainer.

 

 

1.3 Endurance/ aerobic

 

1.       At least 1 hour of brisk walking per day

2.       Climbing staircase at home frequently/every day with a view to increasing the number of total steps

3.       Use treadmill when it is raining – a treadmill is not meant to be used regularly.

Note: Gardening and other household activities are NOT a substitute for this regimen but being active will help in maintaining fitness

 

2. Massage

 

1.       A full body HARD massage (not light) each week to relieve all sore muscles of tension and to allow them a chance to recover – specific deep tissue massage as required for sore back etc.

 

3. Diet

 

Cooking skills

.

 

1.       Develop and extend cooking skills as no servant is available / should be available

 

 

Nutritious food

 

1.       Consult dietician re: appropriate food.

2.       Ensure that constantly reducing bone density and muscle flexibility (and length) is countered with good diet (particularly milk, cheese, and protein).

 

4. Dental and optical prevention

 

(CGHS does not cover this – all the more reason to focus on prevention)

1.       Annual full dental cleanup

2.       X-rays of teeth every 3 years

3.       Using the best quality automatic toothbrushes and flossing equipment

4.       Eye exercises

 

5. Physical environment

 

 

1.       Redo the bathroom floors and replace with non-slip tiles

Do not keep the bathroom wet

 

 

6. Mental agility

 

Reducing damage from loss of brain cell connections

 

1.       Review knowledge of mathematics

2.       Obtain a new Bachelors/Masters degree– by correspondence course

3.       Rewrite and get book published

4.       Do puzzles

5.       Master the use of the computer (Windows explorer, Internet explorer, Word)

6.       Tutor school children in maths – for MONEY

 

 

Reducing loss of memory

 

1.       Write your autobiography for your children and grandchildren to read. Scan the photos related to the incidents you relate and make a colourful/ illustrated electronic history of your life.

2.       Memorizing the Gita/or alternative text – in Sanskrit

 

7. Social engagement

 

See here for health benefits of more than 100 hours of voluntary work per year

1.       Consider donating blood / time / money to those more needy (there are many of those in India)

2.       Consider spending at least 1 day a week in an orphanage, dying person’s home, etc., to contribute voluntary labour

 

8. Count your blessings / modify behaviour

 

 

Jim Collins |

Level 5 leadership |

1.       Make a list of the good things in your life

2.       Compare with those who have or have had much less but been happy

3.       Compare with those who were unlucky to live even this long

4.       Forget grandiose and silly social titles. Live as a very normal, very ordinary, very humble, human being.

5.       Banish the ego to the sea.

6.       Never talk rudely and angrily to anyone (and NEVER to those who are placed lower in economic terms). When people hear anyone talking angrily to anyone else, their respect for the angry person is significantly reduced.

 

 

2: Preparedness plan

ITEM

Sub-category

Detail (illustrative)

Record

Medical insurance

 

1.       Take medical insurance if possible (check its terms and conditions carefully)

 

Know thyself

 

a) Knowledge of the body

 

Visit these web sites and search/ read:

 

Gray’s anatomy |

Wiki |

Omaha physiology |

Physilogy on Wiki |

WebMD |

Looksmart |

Yahoo health |

BBC Health |

Discovery |

Mayo Clinic |

Google directory |

 

1.       Anatomy: Ability to identify key muscles and how they operate

2.       Understand what happens to the body in old age, eg.

  1. Reduction in bone density (height will reduce and body will shrink, possible knee and hip replacement)
  2. Reduction in muscle flexibility and length – atrophy (body will start bending)
  3. Reduction in hearing (need to get hearing tested regularly, may need hearing aid)
  4. Reduction in sense of balance (implications for avoiding slippery floors)
  5. Difficulty in recovering from a fracture/ muscle injury (avoiding slippery floors)
  6. Reduced immunity (implications for not eating outside, taking even minor colds seriously)
  7. Final and permanent loss of teeth (leading to eating problems, dentures, etc.)

 

 

b) Knowledge of the mind

 

eg.

Site 1

Site 2 | Wiki |

APA |

1.       Reading up a good basic college book on psychology

2.       Reading up on the biology of the brain

3.       Understand what happens to the brain in old age, eg.

  • Wearing out of connections (possible loss of memory)
  • Bad habits increase (eg. habits of anger, ego, disrespectful behaviour)

 

 

c) Know what can go wrong with your body and mind

 

eg.

Site 1

Diseases |

1.       Collect books on all key diseases of old age – and read and understand

2.       Research on internet / google on all such diseases

3.       Read the latest journals of science and  psychology (eg. Nature, Science) most of them on the internet.

4.       Do not be penny wise pound foolish. If you need to print and keep a copy for your records, or get a high quality filing system, SPEND on it. Get a high quality laser printer and make sure you have all the knowledge you may need at all times.

 

Know what to do when bad situations do occur (including death)

Keeping and up-to-date list of emergency ambulance/  hospitals

 

1.       Up-to date list of phone contacts and full details of what to do in case of heart attack, stroke etc.

 

 

 

Account and funds details

1.       If one were to die what should the other know re: his/her accounts – keep a summary of accounts/ other details in a place known to each other

 

 

Will

1.       Consider making a will under guidance of a solicitor if you plan to make any (it is recommended that everyone has a will), as neither Daddy nor Mummy will be allowed to make a will when not in a mentally fit condition.

 

 

Death procedure instructions

 

1.       If nothing else, specify what you want to be done and how you want your body to be disposed off when dead

2.       Consider donating your body to science or other purpose (eg. India | Australia)

3.       Discuss sickness and death openly even as you work hard to improve your health.

 

Full knowledge of CGHS rules and procedures

NOTE: CGHS DOES NOT PAY FOR DENTAL AND OPTICAL CARE

1.       Full knowledge of all CGHS rules and procedures through regular reading of CGHS book

2.       Copies of all forms readily available at home

3.       Copies of all medical records kept carefully and photocopied if originals are not available

4.       Details of all contacts

 

 

3: Diagnostics plan

ITEM

Sub-category

Detail (illustrative)

Record

Annual checkups

 

 

1.       Full checkup each year (If CGHS does not fund full checkups, do privately)

2.       Regular eye tests for glaucoma, retinal detachment etc.

3.       Regular tests for hearing acuity

 

Multiple opinions of QUALIFIED doctors critical

 

1.       Find out what speciality covers your symptoms

2.       Go to a specialist and ask what is his/ her formal qualifications in that speciality

3.       Go to a second/ third doctor if qualifications are not adequate.

4.       Go to another doctor ALWAYS in any case (eg CGHS) to confirm diagnosis/ get second opinions

 

No dabbling in homeopaths, ayurvedic medicine, chiropractors, refloxologists etc.

 

1.       No matter what they may claim there is NO or very little evidence about these profession’s knowledge of anything significant to do with the body.

2.       They are good as placebos or as psychological “therapists”

 

Questions to ask doctors

 

ASK these questions (doctors are your employees when you are paying for their service, you have a right to ask them any questions you want):

“Describe your symptoms IN FULL – take notes before going to doctor – DO NOT leave out ANY element of the symptoms, and then ask:

1. What are ALL the diseases that could cause such symptoms?

2. How do you rule out that I do not have one of the more serious diseases?”

 

 

 

 

Last updated 9 September 2006