We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.

One of my idols once said, "If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one!"

"Find out who you are and do it on purpose."
~Dolly Parton

All my life I've heard that once you turn 30 it's all a downhill slide until you die. I never believed that, especially since after I turned 30 I still felt like a 23 year old. Our text book, Occupational Therapy with Elders, confirmed what people have been saying, and states, " ...it is estimated that organ systems gradually lose function and efficiency at a rate of 1% per year after age 30." So turning is the kiss of death right? Nah!!!! Knowing that things start to decline at age 30 means that as we age we have to learn how to age healthfully. That means that if you don't like the road you're walking, you start paving another one!

According to researchers at Tulane University, some of aging healthfully is in our genes, but most comes from the proper balance of diet, exercise, social activity, and productive pursuits. I've really come to believe this through my observations at various fieldwork sites. The healthiest aging adults that I see are active and social, despite any physical or medical limitations they face. Unfortunately, I also see adults who are perfectly capable of physical and social activities who limit themselves to their rooms all day. Those are the people that seem to age the quickest. With that said, I hope that during my time as an OTA and beyond I can help educate people on how to obtain that balance in life and age healthfully. Afterall, "We cannot direct the wind (genes), but we can adjust the sails (diet, exercise, etc)."