SOCIALIZED MEDICINE

It baffles me how people seem clueless about the importance - and generally shocking absence - of play to older people.  Not carefully choreographed "activity" sessions at a "senior lifestyle" residence or senior care center, which are typically highly structured & invariably directed by others.  I'm talkin' unstructured, essentially self-directed FUN times. 

Which is not to decry a lot of the activities organized by & offered in senior centers.  An older friend of mine, inching up into her 80s, puts me to shame in the energy department.  Through our local senior center, she's part of a variety of sports teams, from volleyball to shuffleboard.  Although technically "structured" activities, arranged & facilitated by the center's sports director, Laurie's participation is way past self-directed to team-directed.  I wish all my grannie & gramps clients had the opportunity to feel like their individual effort matters to the larger whole!  

Those activities are light years from a tai chi class...  that meets once a week for one hour.  Ditto a wii group...  that meets weekly for a scant hour.  Or a walking group...  that walks the grounds for 60 minutes every Wednesday morning.  Those are what some places consider provide their older residences with stimulating exercise activities! 

Let me back up for a moment.  It's not that our older friends & loved ones need playful activities - we all do, from birth to death.  But my guess is that 99.99% of able-bodied youngers are unaware of ALL the times we do something fun & self-directed.  How easy it is to take for granted being able to run out for chicken cheesesteak parm & a large caesar salad from Longhitano's rather than make dinner, then bop out again at 9:00 p.m. for the lime you forgot to get for a late night gin & tonic with your sweetie, snugged on the couch watching a favorite Netflix movie.  Self-directed fun, yet almost ho hum in it's every dayness to the able bodies.  Would be nirvana for many older people, especially those edging into their 80s & 90s. 

One of my grannie clients loves going for rambles, ending up a nice restaurant or watering hole.  Another disliked long drives,  but longed to visit a dog park.  One who's less mobile  organizes a film festival for her fellow residents, held in the community room, with light (sometimes not-so-light!) refreshments before & after to encourage socializing. 

Three ways - of countless possibilities - olders can enjoy fun that THEY'VE structured & directed.  Three different ways, with one constant  response ~ invariably a lighter step, a readier smile, even a better night's sleep. 

Bet that's a form of "socialized" health care everyone can get behind!!