Di Patterson, MSG, CPG

A popular saying in both American business and non-profit America is Follow the money. In scientific research when we find a hot topic, a lot of money has been poured into the compilation of good information surrounding it. In the last five years, the most noteworthy medical funding has certainly been spent for questions and answers about internal inflammation.

As a Gerontologist, I also agree that the most important health concern in aging surrounds internal inflammation; the evidence is overwhelming in our daily lives. There is now solid and multiple research to show that internal inflammation “drives” the diseases of heart, lungs, stroke, cancers, diabetes, and obesity. Just as insidious are arthritis, asthma, allergies, chronic pain, fibromialgia, and eczema.

As a social scientist whose specialty in Aging also crosses into the medical field of Geriatrics, I can assure you that a concept as large as healing such a huge medical problem carries with it major social implications as well. The proof of the high degree of internal inflammation in our present society’s health outcomes are everywhere; even escalating rates of childhood diabetes, obesity and allergies abound. The irradiation, or even just a sharp reduction, in the diseases that present themselves in the presence of internal inflammation would rid our families and our country of the severe financial, emotional and physical price we pay for empowering our healthy bodies’ enemy.

In my studies, I have found some wonderful truths that I want every aging person to know about internal inflammation. When I read for new research developments, I come across some really good information I want you to be aware of. The first important find: for most of us, internal inflammation begins with what we eat.

A must-read to understanding more about internal inflammation is Inflammation Nation by Floyd Chilton, PhD and Laura Tucker. In it, they explain how some foods cause more internal inflammation than others…like farmed salmon, turkey and egg yolks.

Whoa, really? These are some of the very foods we Americans talked ourselves into believing were the best for us in the last fifteen years! They are low in fat and zero in sugars. Turkey is high in potassium. Eggs yolks are in almost every baked good we consume. Isn’t salmon one of the richest sources in omegas, and aren’t omegas good for us?

These are the right questions. The answers are simple. In brief, according to Dr. Chilton, it’s the way that the foods react inside us that create internal inflammation. Farmed salmon is fed corn and soy; two grains that for humans are nutritious and beneficial. In salmon, however, corn and soy create a chain of 9-6-3-omegas that mutate into dangerous levels of internal inflammation in humans bodies. More than about four ounces of farmed salmon every four weeks (you read right!), his research shows, is poisonous to our good health.

Another dietary suggestion coming from the study of triglycerides: de-sugar and de-starch yourself as much as possible. Sugars play havoc with humans’ health, so read up on the pro’s and con’s of all sugars, including cane sugar, honey, fructose, and other sweeteners, and how our bodies process them. Combat a silent source of inflammation: yeast. Starches become sugar, and sugars produce yeast. Fiber binds yeast to it, so eat plenty of fiber and drink enough water daily to move it through your system.

If “we are what we eat”, let’s get informed, judicious and picky!

It comes down to the research. Next week, I will write about food intolerances and some nifty ways to outsmart chronic internal inflammation!

©2010 Di Patterson, MSG, CPG “If good real estate is about location, location, location, then success in aging is about attitude, attitude, attitude!”

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As a Gerontologist who studies and promotes the successful aging of human beings, I want to see all of us becoming more mindful of our decisions and activities as we age.

Gerontology is a social science that specifically addresses aging after 60, but I am a firm believer that positive aging begun early makes good sense. Paying attention to your future today, no matter what your age, is just the right thing to do (thank you, Quaker Oats and Wilford Brimley!).

Aging well—success in aging—is that activity we do that is birthed in our attitudes and spreads to our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual selves.

In 1984, Drs. Kahn and Rowe defined “successful aging” and listed its three determining factors:

1. High capacity for physical and mental functioning

2. Low risk of disease and disability

3. An active engagement with life

You can guess which one of those I am going to talk about today! I address the third element and define “success in aging” as:

1. An active engagement in life (based on one’s preferences), which is consistent with how an individual wants to age as one grows older;

2. Aging well within one’s limitations (based on one’s realities), whatever they may be: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and/or financial;

3. The ability to make good decisions (based on good information), which allows pro-active participation with one’s own aging process.

There are so many variables in choices for positive aging; it is the good choices we make today that help us have better tomorrows. Being actively engaged with the things we can control—sound nutritional choices, good exercise habits, mental strengthening through new activities, dancing, laughter, volunteering, practicing friendship, and positive attitudes, to name a few—have been scientifically proven to make us more able to cope with the challenges that aging can and does bring.

Aging well within one’s own limitations—physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and/or financial—can be one of the greatest testaments to our lives. Books and screenplays have been written around the concept of being able to attend your own funeral and hear yourself eulogized. To hear those closest to you praise your determination, kindnesses and wise choices is the epitome of a life’s celebration.

The importance of good information is foundational in making good decisions. When we actively seek out wisdom through good information, then use it to improve the quality of life for ourselves, those we influence and those who love us, we really do achieve success in aging.

©2010 Di Patterson, MSG, CPG “If good real estate is about location, location, location, then success in aging is about attitude, attitude, attitude!”

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My goal as a professional Gerontologist is to bring you a greater understanding of yourself while you are approaching your older years; and all of us are, one day at a time. You must read and arm yourself with relevant research. Good information is the best defense against wrong thinking, bad planning and procrastination. We tend to deny many issues and the challenges of aging before we get there ourselves.

You can make good decisions now that will help you age successfully and in doing so, you will lead by example: teaching the younger generations to care for themselves now and how to care for YOU well in your old age.

I define “success in aging” as:

1. An active engagement in life (based on one’s preferences), which is consistent with how an individual wants to age as one grows older;

2. Aging well within one’s limitations (based on one’s realities), whatever they may be: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and/or financial;

3. The ability to make good decisions (based on good information), which allows pro-active participation with one’s own aging process.

Here are seven strategies you can put into practice this week to help you look at your own aging in more positive ways. These easy steps will put you on the path to becoming a happier 80-year-old!

1. Eat well; whole foods, savory foods. Enjoy good food! Then make sure to exercise some way everyday to help your body put that good food to good use!
2. Sleep enough.  Treat yourself to a new mattress and/or new bedding. Rest is a huge need when good communication is essential…and when isn’t it?
3. Laugh often. If you have to, buy a laugh; rent a movie!
4. Practice your friendship skills. Friendship is a universally understood language.
5. Save money. Set a goal. Reward yourself with good retirement options for YOU.
6. Floss your teeth. Studies have proven that people who floss stay healthier in their elder years. In fact, dental plaque and arterial plaque are directly related.
7. Pray. Everyday, find that space of peace and connect with your Creator. Thank God for your life, for your elderly client, and for everything. Gratitude has been scientifically proven to reduce heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.

©2010 Di Patterson, MSG, CPG “If good real estate is about location, location, location, then success in aging is about attitude, attitude, attitude!”

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Ah, the 30-second gero-elevator speech: one of the most useful, dynamic tools in your career “toolkit”. With it, you present yourself in a professional, concise way that “says it all”. Short, sweet and to the point, your thirty seconds will motivate and educate those around you. Make people glad they asked!

When people respond to my self-introduction (usually with a “What the heck is a Gerontologist?”), I say: “A Gerontologist studies and promotes the successful aging of human beings, and I am so glad you asked!” I explain my specialty within the field (basically hitting the high points) and ask, “How about you?” She or he then has a chance to tell me his or her story, and I can tailor my Aging comments as it relates to that person. Light bulbs go on, and a real conversation begins.

My tips for 30 Gero-Seconds of Success:

♦Begin by introducing yourself into a mirror repetitively, concentrating on your cadence, attitude and eye contact. Think of a creative way to explain gerontology that touches the person you might be talking to.

♦Practice often, and (I know you do this already) make sure to communicate your empathy and interest with your voice and your eyes (warmth attracts even the chilliest of personalities). The key is practice, practice, practice!

♦Never underestimate enthusiasm. The Latin root of “enthusiasm” is “en Theo”, or “of God”. What a grand thought! Enthusiasm communications joyfulness and confidence, and leaves people with sense of well-being and affirmation. Basically, it rocks.

♦Be authentic. Communicate who you are and what an employer could expect from you. Let both the excellence of your work and the integrity of your character shine through. That is the winning combination!

♦Be brief. Remember, it’s only thirty seconds. You want them to have time to tell you what they do, what older adult they might have in their lives, and what aging hopes and fears they are encountering. When you know those things, you can tailor your comments to their needs, their job requirements.

♦Be humble. Your thirty gero-seconds are really about your usefulness to other people. Gerontologists will change the world in the next fifty years of the Boomer lifespan. Be the person who gets the job!

© 2010 Diane Alexander Patterson, MSG, CPG “If good real estate is about location, location, location, then ‘success in aging’ is about attitude, attitude, attitude!” www.SeasonofLife.net

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As a Gerontologist, a social scientist who studies research, trends and the promotion of successful aging specific to ages 60 and above, I have a pretty good understanding of older age groups. In a previous blog, I rattled on about all sorts of (and sometimes irreverent) names we use for older adults. In an attempt to avoid ageism, that nasty prejudice that pits the elderly against everyone else, today I want to get a little academic.

The clinical (and tough-to-hear) identifying verbiage for older adults are the following terms: the young old: ages 65-74; the old (but I like to say just plain old!): ages 75-84; and the very old: ages 85-100+. Older adults hate these terms (I know; they keep telling me!). The most common reason that much-older people hate the word “old” is because some younger people (and sometimes they themselves) equate “old” with “frail”, and just because we are old does not mean we are frail.

The frustration of facing another prejudice—the aforementioned ageism—is disheartening to older adults, many of whom are still working on conquering genderism, racism and/or religious prejudice. Disheartening is too gentle a word. All of us will be old, and you’d think we’d start fighting ageism early. Silly as it is, we don’t look forward often because we are in denial of our own aging! Let’s face it; being old is not the most popular thing to think about.

But, let’s do face it. Let’s think about our own old age as something to enjoy rather than just fear. There are things to look forward to in every age. But since we can’t avoid it, let’s take steps now to make it better. And better is really good in old age.

Many people see age 65 as an “easing up” of daily rat-racing, and anytime after they can afford to stop working as the “golden years.” The thought of easing-up instead of “retiring” is positive to most Boomers; this generation is marked with a can-do attitude and a spontaneous nature. Negatively, only a little more than half were on track with retirement savings before the beginning of the New Recession (2008-2010). Now everyone is behind where they hoped to be financially. Another component to Boomers working longer is that they don’t particularly want to retire if they don’t have to; a more palatable idea is “exploring their options”. Boomers really do see themselves as more vibrant than their own images of “senior citizens”.

Any Gerontologist will tell you that the Builder generation of our great country were good savers, and looked forward to passing assets onto their Boomer children. These funds will help defer the 2008-10 losses in Boomer retirement accounts and for those who haven’t yet saved enough for their older age. It is critical to have legislation to protect this interfamily gifting, because the same day that the “Age Wave” hits America, 1-1-2011, the national estate tax ceiling plunges to the lower levels of a decade ago.

The real test of the metal of Baby Boomers will be in the way we use the wealth we are about to inherit. I would like to see “the metal” become “the medal”; that badge of courage to forego the possibilities of the present to prepare ourselves for the realities of the future. Being “old” may seem like a long way off; but being in denial that we will get there is just a waste of precious time. May we all be well-prepared to enjoy those “golden years”!

© 2010 Diane Alexander Patterson, MSG, CPG “If good real estate is about location, location, location, then ‘success in aging’ is about attitude, attitude, attitude!” www.SeasonofLife.net

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Di Patterson, MSG, CPG

It was Final Four Games Weekend of January, 2010, the football weekend that is second only in my opinion to the Superbowl. Eight teams from all over the nation were fighting for the chance for one more week. Out of eight teams, every football fan is bound to a find a favorite. Next week, half of us would have hard feelings. This weekend, it was all football.

My husband searched the cable guide as soon as the games were announced, and planned his weekend accordingly. The absolute must-do’s were accomplished earlier in the week or during breaks in the game he cared about least. My friend’s husband even took the weekend off at work. I made sure football food was in the house: beef, beer, chicken enchiladas, chips, guacamole, and salsa. Even the TV commercials that weekend were pre-Superbowl quality!

But this year, a phenomenon was being played out on the fields besides a lot of great football. The oldest QB ever to compete in a playoff, Brett Favre, and another “old guy” QB, Kurt Warner of the Arizona Cardinals, led their teams against younger quarterbacks with remarkable agility and strength. Warner’s team did not advance to the next weeks’ game, but Favre lead the Vikings to a 45-3 victory that was really fun to watch.

And that brings me to my point: “old” can be very, very good. And “old” in football is pretty young! Remember Joe Namath, the famed New York Jet who played his last season in 1977 with the then-LA Rams (Yeah, those were the days in LA!)? Broadway Joe was all of age 34 that year, which is considered an old man in football. Kurt Warner, the quarterback with “six kids and a minivan”, is 39 ½ this weekend, and Brett Favre turned 40 last October. Fran Tarkenton, the Viking hero of the 1970’s, led his team in three Superbowls, at ages 34, 35, and 37; but his birthday fell on the following weekend, virtually making him a year older in each game. These older athletes are only anomalies because they weren’t injured beyond repair (like Joe Namath’s knees).

Being “at the top of our game” is actually more common as we age than in our youth. Dara Torres, that 41-year-old Mom and Olympic swimmer who won two silver medals in Beijing, was on five U.S. Olympic Swim Teams, winning a medal each time. Her ability kept her on the team for 20 years (an amazing record!). Her leadership and experience, though, won her a Sportsmanship Award from the International Committee for Fair Play when she convinced Beijing meet officials to delay the start of the 50m freestyle to enable her competitor, Therese Alshammar of Sweden, to correct a swimsuit malfunction. Who does that? Usually, it’s people with maturity; and usually, maturity comes with age.

Look around you and notice the older people who are worthy of your admiration in your field of practice. The playing field you work on is as important as any NFL or Olympic sports venue. Having personally attended both NFL and Olympic games, it’s the cheering fans and the other team members who are really glad “the old guys” showed up. It’s not about age; it’s about attitude and aptitude for the tasks that lay ahead. “Old” is good when it brings along with it wisdom, integrity, good humor, confidence and a willingness to roll up one’s sleeves. When people with experience and the leadership skills to help your team achieve whatever goal you have before you, age has little to do with it; it’s the win that counts, and on Final Four Weekend, 2010, The Olds Guys were very, very good!

© 2010 Diane Alexander Patterson, MSG, CPG “If good real estate is about location, location, location, then ‘success in aging’ is about attitude, attitude, attitude!” www.SeasonofLife.net

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It’s graduation time again, and I am writing this blog today to encourage all students of Aging and budding new Gerontologists who want to have vibrant careers while serving the population we love: older adults and their families. We all learn as we go along…so keep showing up! In 2010 and beyond, keep refining your skills and focus the passion you began with. Every job or experience you can add to your “toolkit” within our field adds to your expertise. Be one of the Gerontologists who is ever-seeking to find answers to questions like: “How do we age more successfully?”; “What is ‘successful aging’ to a particular individual?” and “What application of gerontology fits what I do best?”

“Ship it imperfect” is a business concept that means getting to the marketplace earlier than later is important. Apple iPhones employ this strategy; that’s why Apple cheerfully upgrades its technology customers. Buzz is all about getting to the marketplace first.

“Fix it in the mix” is a music-studio term meaning that the music editor can cut and splice imperfections out of the finished track. Movies and taped TV shows employ the same strategy; that’s why “live” awards shows are tricky (reality is not always pretty to watch).

“Photoshop” is both a computer program and technique employed to correct minor (and sometimes major) imperfections in photos, and “photoshop it” is a term meaning to clean-up imperfections before that product is viewed by the general public.

These are terms that most of us understand and can apply judiciously. Although I recoil at “ship it imperfect”, “fix it in the mix” and “photoshop it” as a “usual and customary” way of doing business, most caregivers will tell you that solutions for short-term human-needs problems that could become permanent without intervention are really important. A 24-hour stop-gap measure in fall prevention, proper nutrition or a housing situation is critical. Helping people age well is what Gerontologists do best!

Find your place in the sunshine (oh, I hear Eric Clapton and Cream in the background!) of your love for older adults in what you do best. Whatever you choose, remember that you cannot truly make decisions for your elderly loved ones or anyone else who is older until you have faced your own aging hopes and fears. One day, you will be old, and better to start earlier than later. Ask yourself my “Elderspeak™” questions, and answer them honestly…because you cannot deal with anyone else’s old age until you deal with your own first!

What does “quality of living” mean to you?

What does your elderly loved one or client look forward to in life?

What three things do you consider “must haves” in old age?

So keep showing up…it’s not only your life and your career. You have a unique chance to improve the lives of many older adults and the younger people they love. Congrats!

© 2010 Diane Alexander Patterson, MSG, CPG “If good real estate is about location, location, location, then ‘success in aging’ is about attitude, attitude, attitude!” www.SeasonofLife.net

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I can’t help but wonder what things will be like for me, my three kids and three step-kids, our eleven grandkids and three great-grandkids (and I am only 55!), and all the ones to follow. I am active, informed and engaged with family, friends, business associates and our society. I am not alone. There are many more like me; in fact, about 77 million of us Baby Boomers. Most of us work, vote, have families and we watch out for our kids and parents.

As a Gerontologist, a social scientist who studies research, trends and successful aging specific to ages 60 and above, I spend a lot of time evaluating older age groups and the products and services they typically require and use. Healthcare reform will affect every age group, and many Americans are unaware—or just very trusting—of how this will work out specifically for them. Since the mathematics of taxpayer cost for government-run healthcare is massive and unrealized, America is not yet ready for the upheaval over “all ages-related” services and care options its people are about to enter into.

So it’s time to have a discussion about age and ageism. Ageism is one of the prejudices that—much like racism, genderism or religious hatred—spurs some who are not older to behave badly toward those who are older, whether it’s thinly masked or blatantly evident. It is time to call ageism out into the open, and name it for what it is: just another form of prejudice. In fact, names are what prejudice usually can be recognized by.

First, let’s agree that “a rose by any other name is still a rose”, and conversely, a stinker is always a stinker. In preparing to write this article, I researched this topic with my 23-year old daughter and some of her friends. I asked them for names that they have used or heard old people called by. Some funny and a few irreverent terms came out.

They started with the respectful senior citizens and retirees, moved to mature individuals and had no problem with the generic, the old. Not all that problematic. I threw down the gauntlet that I wanted reality, and we agreed that mature adults, although accurate, just sounded a little triple-X. We then got to geezers, blue hairs and old farts, which are okay only when that age group uses those monikers (sound familiar?). We laughed when they admitted to using old asses or grandmas when anyone drives too slowly in front of them; which, they pointed out, is unfair to their own “rockin’ grandmas”, whom they really love. We all had to agree with the newest and most accurate term for seniors: older adults.

This exercise proves that most Americans can come to terms with ageism and dispel it, although there will always be the jerks and the immature. In examining the terms we choose to describe what ALL of us are destined to become—old—the positive naming of older people can be a genuine effort NOT to marginalize their accomplishments and their ongoing contributions to society. Maybe, this time, we can get it right!

© 2010 Diane Alexander Patterson, MSG, CPG “If good real estate is about location, location, location, then ‘success in aging’ is about attitude, attitude, attitude!” www.SeasonofLife.net

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Whether you are caring for aging parents or new to the aging marketplace, here are a few of my Successful Strategies in Elderspeak. These recommendations have their foundations in biology of Aging and psychology of Aging coursework and in my many years of experience with older adults.

Slow down.

Think quickly, but speak slowly. Response time, both physically and mentally, is a little slower for elderly, but not necessarily of lesser quality. That is also important to remember when deciding how to approach your family members/clients: they have “been around the block” more often than their younger counterparts, so don’t assume they can’t keep up with you when you are explaining your policies and procedures.

Say what you mean.

Your older adult might not have understood what you meant.  Since the elderly come from a different generation than most of us do, their “dictionary” could be a little different than yours, in the sense of how you are phrasing things. Terms and technology change quickly these days. Ask your family member/client if you are making sense to her/him, and if need be, re-phrase until she/he clearly understands you.

Ask the elder to repeat it.

Always a great idea in any communication exercise, but especially helpful with the elderly.  You will get a first hand lesson in what your family member/client has translated your message into.  Also, being from a very respect-oriented generation, he/she might not have assertively communicated his/her preferences to you.   Their respect for your family/professional status might put them off from pressing harder.

Remember that the issues of respect, losses, and wisdom are important.

Aging brings along with it a desire to complete one’s lifework.  Youth has fallen away, careers have receded, and children have universes of their own.  Life becomes quieter.  Offer work that takes into account those parameters, realize that respect is the greater part of their dignity, and give consideration to the chronic losses of old age. Be honoring.

Di Patterson, MSG, CPG

© 2010 Diane Alexander Patterson, MSG, CPG “If good real estate is about location, location, location, then ‘success in aging’ is about attitude, attitude, attitude!” www.SeasonofLife.net

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Di Patterson:
Expedia.com and Priceline.com are great sites to search for cheap plane tickets. But don’t forget about car/train trips…

And if you want to try other traveling options, the train is a great way to travel. It may take longer than a plane ride but it’s usually cheaper and less stressful. Plus you get to watch the scenery. Beautiful. And if you fly, avoid connecting flights through coastal cities. I just had the worst layover in San Francisco due to fog!

If you are an Auto Club (AAA) member, call them before your next trip and see what other services they have for you.  They provide many discounts across the country that you are probably not taking advantage of. Visit site

Check it out, and happy traveling!

Be sure to read my Travel Guide

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