You may have heard happiness is based on your attitude. This is not simply a cliché. Your attitudes and philosophies have much to do with how happy you are in your everyday life, and even how happy you are with yourself. 
When you understand your attitudes, and perhaps make some changes, you can find happiness as you grow older. Your senior years really can be the best years of your life.
We Can Learn From A Roman Emperor
If you think back to your school days, you may recall a Roman emperor named Marcus Aurelius. While he ruled for nearly two decades, from 161 to 180, he was also known as a great philosopher. His personal writings included 12 books known as Meditations. There are quotations in Meditations that are relevant to today’s seniors.
There are two places you cannot live: in the past, and in the future. If you live in the past you can be overwhelmed by sadness, sorrow, or regret, and focusing too much on the future can cause needless stress and worry. Think instead of what Marcus Aurelius advised: “Confine yourself to the present.”
When you focus on the present day, you will see how much it has to offer. You can resolve problems when they occur, and live in the moment. When you develop the ability to do this, you can find happiness and joy in everyday life.
“Everything- a horse, a vine- is created for some duty… For what task, then, were you yourself created?” When an elderly person reads this statement, he may think it is foolish. You may feel you have accomplished your purpose in life, and that your days of productivity are long over. After all, you are elderly now, so what more could there be to do?
If you meditate on the statement, though, you will see there is much more to your life than the accomplishments in your past. Whether you are sixty or eighty, you can find new purpose and meaning in your life. You have something worthwhile to contribute, so start thinking about your special talents. You can use what you learned in youth or young adult years to make a positive contribution today.
When you do your part to make the world a better place, you will see yourself in a new light. Others will appreciate you, and you will appreciate yourself, too.
The Emperor also said: “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” We all know it can be too easy to become engulfed in negative thoughts. If we continue to entertain negative thoughts, they can affect our emotions and even our health.
For health and happiness, thoughts do matter. During the aging years, much negativity is due to the realities of aging. You may resent new limitations if you were always healthy and independent, or you may be fearful of the future and what growing older may mean for you.
In the past, the concept of “aging gracefully” generally meant giving up. Individuals who moved into their senior years were expected to care less about their personal appearances, stop working, and put fun behind them. Today, though, acceptance of aging does not mean giving up on yourself or giving up on your life. Instead of entertaining negative thoughts, think of what you can have, be, and do.
The elderly population today is healthier than similar generations in the past. Fewer seniors spend their aging years in long-term care facilities, and many older people continue to work or hold volunteer positions. Active seniors today have full social lives and continue to be a part of their communities.
A sad old lady.
With all these benefits of aging today, you do not need to sacrifice happiness for negativity. When you realize how many choices you have, your thoughts can be positive and you can be happy.
Marcus Aurelius had more to say: “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive- to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” When you meditate on this statement upon awakening in the morning, or before you go to bed at night, you will develop a new sense of happiness and peace of mind.
What Is Stoicism?
If you have lived long enough to be elderly, you have experienced hardships during your lifetime. You needed self-discipline, sound judgment, and clear thinking in order to be objective.
The passive reactions taught by Stoicism can help you during your aging years. You do not need to be bothered by every external event. You also do not need to be overly emotional about your own personal situation.
If you need help, ask for assistance. However, you should not allow yourself to become a complainer. Not only will this make everyone around you miserable, but it can affect your own state of happiness, too.
Life is not easy at any point in time, but seniors often have special concerns. Concerns about your health, family, limitations, or various other issues can make it tempting to complain to everyone you meet. Instead, think of how you dealt with hardships in the past. You can face any difficulty when you know you have the personal strength to get through it.
What Is Zen?
When you hear of Zen, you probably think of meditation. While the Zen way of life often includes meditation, you may also be interested in learning about the Zen philosophy.
Buddha created the Eightfold Path and the Four Noble Truths. The Eightfold Path consists of Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration.
The Four Noble Truths can help you understand why you are unhappy with your life, and how you can end the unhappiness. In addition to following the Eightfold Path, you will learn that some suffering is part of life, and other suffering can be prevented. One way to prevent suffering is to let go of unnecessary needs, wants, and wishes.
You may be wondering how you can apply these attitudes and philosophies to your own life. Perhaps it is human nature to want what we do not have, wish for something that is not in our best interests, or believe we need something when we really do not need it at all. These patterns can cause a considerable amount of pain and misery when your actual goal is to be happy.
You can assess how these patterns fit into your life and are affecting your overall quality of life. Perhaps you miss the physical strength you had when you were younger, and wish you had it now. If you think rationally, you know you are no longer young, and aging does bring limitations. If you can start to accept what you can and cannot do, and what you can and cannot have, you are not giving up. You are clearing the path to happiness and a higher quality of life.
How Happiness Can Come From A Positive Attitude
The desire for happiness is universal. It is not dependent on a person’s age. However, a mistake people of all ages can make is to believe happiness is something they can find. A person can spend his entire lifetime searching for happiness, only to learn it cannot be found in external places, people, or things.
When you want to be truly happy, the important point to keep in mind is happiness must be created from within yourself, and this starts with a positive attitude.
Almost every day, there is something to be grateful for, and a reason to be happy. Spend some time filling your mind with these reasons. You may be surprised when a smile breaks out on your face. You can be happy, and even joyful.
Second, there is something to look forward to nearly every day. From a favorite dessert to a movie with a friend, looking forward to something you enjoy can increase a positive state of mind.
Third, many changes occur during the senior years. It is up to you to decide how to deal with these changes. When you develop limitations and need help, you can be angry and resentful or you can appreciate the help. If you develop a medical issue, you can complain about how unfair it is or you can follow your doctor’s advice to stay as healthy as possible. If you have lost loved ones, you can become depressed with grief, or you can remember the great times you had together.
Life is not always fair, and often not easy. It is the approach you take to these realities that make a difference. No matter what you encounter in life as you are aging, you can maintain a positive attitude. Happiness requires acceptance, but you can also find something good in nearly any situation.
You can sit quietly and meditate alone at a favorite time of the day, or you can mull it over in your mind as you go about your daily activities. You will see your attitude does make a difference. You can continue to enjoy happiness and peace of mind as you age.
The Senior Years And Changes
Aging brings many changes. Regardless of your specific age, you are at a stage in life that is much different than any you have experienced before. For many seniors, this stage seems to occur suddenly. Perhaps you looked in the mirror recently, and noticed you looked much older.
Perhaps you were doing a chore around your home, and noticed you lacked energy or developed aches and pains.
Perhaps you have been feeling sad because you miss old friends who passed away, or hesitated in attending a local event because you were afraid to be out alone. Perhaps you often worry about your safety or feel isolated because your family members all live far away.
These are some of the changes commonly experienced by seniors. There is much you can do to
determine the impact these changes have on your life. The Serenity Prayer is a good way to look at it. Paraphrased, there are some things you cannot change, some things you can change, and the key is knowing the difference.
This is not your grandparents’ generation when elderly men and women essentially resigned themselves to their lives being over. Today’s elderly population is not content to sit in rocking chairs or spend all their time watching television. Seniors today have better health, and, equally important, more options.
This does not mean you do not have limitations. Changes that accompany natural aging can include health issues, losses, and the mirror reminding you that you are no longer young. While you must accept these changes, you can also look at opportunities to be your best self.
You can stay as healthy as possible by cooperating with your personal physician. You can resolve to eat nutritious meals each day, and engage in moderate activity. You can keep your mind sharp, make new friends, learn about safety for seniors, and be an active part of your community.
If you are bothered by worries or fears about your everyday life or your future, start by thinking about changes. Take a little time to decide which factors you must learn to accept, and which factors are within your control. You will see there is much you have control over in your life, and decide it is time to take action. Whether you are elderly or still a younger senior, you can take steps to make this stage in your life happy and fulfilling.
Options For Living Arrangements
Most of today’s seniors do not need to choose between moving into a long-term care facility and moving in with their adult-aged children. As elderly people today, we can be glad we have other options.
For healthy, active seniors, independent living is an option. This can be an excellent option if you do not have serious medical issues and do not require daily assistance.
Independent living stresses personal freedom and the chance to enjoy an active life. Independent living communities have many activities for seniors, opportunities for socializing with others in your age group, and clinics or hospitals nearby so seniors can easily access health care services.
With independent living, your golden years can be fun and exciting. You can take up a hobby, take classes, or play a sport. You can make new friends with other seniors, and share good times.
You can continue to have freedom and independence, too. If you enjoy cooking your own meals, privacy, or time alone to read, you will appreciate all the choices you have with independent living.
Assisted living is an option for seniors who need assistance or extra support in their daily lives. Assisted living communities have medical professionals available 24/7, as well as a support staff for other types of assistance. Perhaps you have a medical condition that needs to be monitored, require reminders for your medications, or are concerned you may experience a medical emergency.
Assisted living also provides help with activities of daily living, or ADL’s. Perhaps you need help with your laundry, bathing, or personal grooming. These are some of the benefits you can have in an assisted living community.
There is a third option that appeals to many seniors today. Aging-in-place is becoming more and more popular. If you have been independent throughout your adult life, it is not unusual for you to want to maintain your independence. An easy way to accomplish this is to continue living in your own home.
When you live at home, you can enjoy the comfort of familiar surroundings. You can keep all of your cherished possessions and keep the pets that you love. Aging-in-place is also an opportunity to live your life on your own terms. You can eat the foods you like at every meal, set your own bedtime, and make the most of your free time. Your daily schedule and decisions can be your own.
While aging-in-place is ideal for many modern seniors, this does not mean you cannot benefit from a little extra help. As more seniors are aging at home, there is quite a demand for qualified home care aides. If you decide to stay at home as you grow older, there are many ways in which you can benefit from a home care aide.
One benefit is assistance with ADL’s. Even healthy seniors can need help with bathing, choosing suitable clothes, and preparing nutritious meals. If you need help with light housekeeping or outside errands, an aide can do these chores, too.
A second benefit is safety. Elderly persons who live alone often worry about intruders, fire, slip-and-fall accidents, and phone scams. Your home care aide will ensure your home is safe. Even when you are alone at night, you will know your home is secure.
Companionship is a third reason to hire an aide. Your aide can accompany you when you attend local events, or go out to dinner. You will have someone to talk to when you are at home. When you see your aide genuinely cares about you, you will know you have made a new friend. Even if there are no other seniors nearby, you never need to feel lonely or isolated. You will look forward to your aide visiting you on a regular basis.
Your health is a priority for your home care aide. While aides do not perform skilled nursing services, there is much she can do to help you stay healthy. Your mind can stay sharp and alert when you play games with your aide. Your physical strength and coordination can improve when your aide helps you do little exercise routines. You can have a good time while maintaining your best possible state of health.
A special skill an aide has is record-keeping. During her visits, she will make notes of your condition or progress. This information can greatly help your physician or nurse. It is an easy way for your health care provider to know if any changes need to be made for the sake of your health.
A home care aide can also make aging-in-place easier for your family. Whether your loved ones live nearby or far away, they are concerned about your well-being. Perhaps they are not entirely supportive of your decision to remain at home, because they worry about your health and safety. They may be concerned that you are isolated, and may become lonely and depressed.
These worries can disappear when your family learns you have hired a home care aide. If they have the chance to meet your aide, they will be delighted. Your aide will be fully trained, qualified for the job, and loves working with seniors. She will be aware of an elderly person’s special needs, and the needs you have as an individual. Your loved ones can have peace of mind when you have a home care aide.
There are many reasons to choose aging–in-place during your elderly years. If you are considering this option or have already made the decision, you do not need to do it all alone. The main reason there is such a demand for home care aides is so many seniors are choosing this option.
You can have one of the best home care aides that is a perfect match for you. Whether you need a little help in your everyday life, or simply want to avoid isolation, you have found the ideal solution. There is a wonderful aide ready to meet you and become a part of your life.
Happiness And Aging
There are so many options for today’s seniors that make this the perfect time to enter your golden years. When you make the choices that are right for you and take some time to develop positive attitudes, it can truly be one of the best stages of your life.
You will see happiness is not reserved for young people. When you accept what you cannot change, and change what you can, your senior years will be an exciting time to be alive.