Today’s meeting was moved to virtual given the snowy weather that Seattle and the Puget Sound have been experiencing this week. Past President Jeff Borek hosted the meeting with President Jon out of town and introduced our member Dorothy Bullitt who provided a personal overview to the main program and introduced the Panel on Aging: Lisa Mayfield, Bill and Karla Center and Mary Goldie.
Dorothy set the stage for the conversation per her experience with aging parents; “this will touch us all at some point in our lives, either with family members or experiencing it ourselves: How to prepare for our own inevitable decline and to take care of others.” She explained how she was the primary care person for her mother, which was different than her experience with her father who passed away while his wife Tina (not Dorothy's mother Kay) was able to take care of him so she had less role as his caregiver.
Lisa Mayfield, the founder and principal of Aging Wisdom, provided some statistics that included:
· 10,000 people a day are turning 65 in the United States
· In 25 years, 45% of the population will be older than 65 years old
· And for the first time in history, those older than 65 will outnumber those under 15 years old
Bill and Karla Center shared their experiences related to aging and how their plans have changed over the last few years from what they thought retirement might look like for them. They planned to live in the home they purchased for retirement and then hoping to live in a condo that they later purchased after their house became too much for them to take care of and finally, making the decision to move into an assisted living facility. Lisa commented how they are “making tough decisions with a smile and laughter.” Some of Karla’s advice included, “be calm and focused.” Bill shared the importance of including your children and how “younger generations make a difference” in helping make important decisions with you; “listen to your kids.” They both graciously offered to be a resource for club members with questions they have about choosing the best possible assisted living housing.
Our club’s executive director Mary Goldie shared a different perspective on aging: taking care of your parents and in this case from long distance. Mary talked about being her mother’s main care giver from 2,000 miles away as she lives in Kentucky and has been diagnosed with Dementia.
Some of Mary’s candid observations and advice included: “Give yourself some grace based on how much you can realistically do, especially if you don’t live close and to keep a paper trail of conversations and appointments.”
Some final thoughts from Lisa as you age: 1) Keep moving, 2) Keep learning and 3) the Importance of community and socialization.
Jeff concluded the meeting reminding us to consider Rotary’s Welcome to Rise Program to polish our leadership skills. For more information on RISE, CLICK HERE.
-Thanks to Dann Mead Smith for another stellar meeting report!
