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Wednesday, October 31, 2012

It’s all in the “Can-do” Attitude


Photo by: David Madison/Getty Images 

The Little Engine That Could has it right; “I think I can” gets you places. It may be a children’s book that is meant to teach kids the value of optimism and hard work, but it’s a message that can be targeted to all ages.

This can-do attitude resides in 50-year-old Adrienne Lotson, who is running her first marathon race on Sunday. Her motivation stems from the death of her mother a few years earlier, who lived a some-what inactive lifestyle. Lotson told The Wall Street Journal, “While walking during a four-mile race in Central Park last year, [she] was encouraged by a fellow runner to try running the last mile. To her surprise, she pulled it off with ease, and since then has become a 12-minute miler alternating walking with running.” 

Lotson used to think marathon runners were “certifiably insane.” But now, she is giving herself the ultimate challenge, all because she changed her mind, decided to amend her lifestyle and believed that she could do it. And it’s not just her who has decided to do so.

The Journal reported on a study, completed by Running USA, that “runners 50 years and older represent one of the fastest-growing age groups participating in the increasingly popular events. As the total number of runners finishing marathons in the U.S. doubled to 518,000 in the 20 years ending 2011, the number of finishers age 50 and older nearly tripled to 92,200.”

So as the population of runners (and their age) increases, growing concern over health issues arise. But the CBC News Health reported that older marathon runners face no greater health risks than younger runners. If you train well and stay hydrated, you should be OK.

According to Alan Culpepper, an Olympic distance runner who specializes in training older marathoners, older bodies generally need more hydration and nutrition, particularly during long runs. "If you're in your 40s or 50s or older, you should be taking in something at every water station, ideally a sports drink if your stomach can handle it," he told The Journal.

If you take care of yourself, and have an attitude that gets you motivated, you can accomplish great things. Just ask 81-year-old Ed Whitlock, he ran the Toronto Marathon earlier this month in three hours and 30 minutes, beating the previous age-81 best by 16 minutes. So where is the harm in trying? Switch it up a little bit and try something new! And for all those who have decided to challenge themselves, we know you can do it, and good luck!

And for all you tech-savvy runners out there, click here to see the top 10 essential iPhone apps for you!

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Entering the workforce… Again? Here’s how:


Image provided by Comfort Life.

“People want a continuing sense of purpose.”

- Ross Mayot, Vice President 
of Community Development for 
CARP and SERC Board Member

It doesn’t matter what age you are, we all have trouble finding that perfect job. Although, we don’t all face the same challenges. Over the past few months, there has been quite a bit of talk in the workforce about age discrimination around the world and how it can be prevented. It’s intimidating thinking you’ve already been rejected from a new job position due to your wiser years. And yet, shouldn’t that experience be giving you a leg up?

According to Paul Bernard, “You can land a good position after 50 if you know how to overcome the perception during job interviews that you’re too old.” The founder and principal of Paul Bernard & Associates (a life-coaching and career management consulting firm), he recognizes that although individuals in their 50s and 60s have to work harder, getting a new job is still attainable.

And what’s the best way to do this Paul?

The best way to combat age bias is to make sure interviewers have no doubt that you've got the drive, enthusiasm, dedication and focus of a younger worker as well as valuable skills derived from your years of experience. You’re nimble and have a background that will help an employer save money and avoid making mistakes.”

And if that isn’t enough, Bernard has set out a small guideline of how you can impress a future employer in an interview, and why you would be a great addition to the team:

  1. Prove that experience has taught you when (and when not) to take risks.
  2. Note that you’re an innovator, but not someone who’s constantly looking to reinvent the wheel.
  3. Demonstrate that you’re flexible.
  4. Explain that you’re skilled in social media, but also know that importance of one-on-one connections.
  5. Highlight your collaborative skills, but make sure the interviewer realizes you know how to make tough decisions on your own.
  6. Enthusiastically point out that you embrace change, but also know that change can be difficult.
  7. Finally, create the impression that you’re high-energy and loyal.

If you aren’t sure what the law entails when it comes to working in Canada, then visit their website, here, and find out your rights as an employee in the workplace. We are all entitled to fairness and equality, regardless of our age, so don’t let your fear of being rejected stop you from re-entering the workforce.

If you are interested in learning more about this topic, SERC’s Business of Aging: Information Exchange Network will be hosting a breakfast on January 30 to discuss all aspects of older adults in the workplace.


Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Managing Mental Health


“We form opinions and then spend our entire lifetime validating what we believe to be true. This rigidity is sad, because there is so much we can learn from points of view that are different from our own. It’s also sad because the stubbornness it takes to keep our heart and mind closed to everything other than our own point of view creates a great deal of inner stress.”
- Unknown

This past week was International Mental Illness Awareness week. It’s a time when we reflect on the many different stressors that can affect the healthy functioning of our brain- what can inflict it, how you can manage it, and remembering those who couldn’t. Our brain is a complex part of our body and responsible for how we operate during the day (and night), and the smallest amount of stress that we experience can have the most interesting outcomes.

Take my friend Jayson for example. Without realizing it, he has been stressing about the upcoming week because of the amount of work he has to do. He started organizing his personal space at home until his mom asked him what was bothering him. Although he insisted it was nothing, she told him that ever since he was young, when something bothered him, he would clean his room. When Jayson thought about it, he realized that he found a sense of control over the tasks he had to accomplish once he organized his working atmosphere. His actions mimic that of a metaphor. Once he felt organized, he knew he could move on to bigger projects. 

Now, I understand that this isn’t always the case for everyone. Cleaning our workspace doesn’t necessarily mean our stress is going to be alleviated. It can be much bigger than that. This is why it is important to seek out help and talk to someone about the issues that may be affecting your mental health. Because, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association, “mental illnesses can take many forms, just as physical illnesses do,” and not everyone knows how to handle it.

Mental illness isn’t limited to one age; it can affect anyone. According to a recent article, Senior suicide: The tricky task of treatment, published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), aging adults are one of the hardest generations to diagnose and treat because, “they have often been taught, or conditioned to keep such problems behind closed doors or disinclined to acknowledge depression or a desire to die.” Essentially, it is hard to get them to break out of the “private-realm” they live in so as not to “risk damage” to their reputation or pride.

Recognizing mental health this month may have only lasted for a week, but it is an ongoing illness. You can’t force an aging adult to talk to you, but you can encourage them to seek advice, offer to help them find someone they could speak with, or let them know that you are always ready and willing to listen. It’s a delicate topic, and nobody wants to admit when they are stuck between a rock and a hard place, not knowing how to get out. But sometimes, a helping hand is all you need to make the first few steps to a healthier and happier you.  

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

#CreativeAging

Image courtesy of Stockvault.net

If you could pick up a pen, what would you draw? If you could dip a brush into a can of paint, what would your canvas display? If you could grab a pile of clay, what would you mold?

Making something from nothing. That’s the idea of being an artist: the ability to create just about anything, from anything. You possess the freedom of expression, and how you choose to display it is up to you. But it’s not the only way to be creative.

Take 51-year-old Andrew Witten for example. Although he may be considered to be at a stereotypical time in his life where he may be “vulnerable” to experiencing a “mid-life crisis,” Witten walks to the beat of a different drum. What kind of beat you may ask? A creative one.

Although he is a single father, reports The Huffington Post’s article, 1970s NY Graffiti Artists Still Have Urge To Tag, he enjoys delving into an “old” pastime of his: graffiti. And although he admits to The Post that he is “chronologically old to be out there doing it,” his passion has always been “spray-painting extravagant graffiti pieces.” Now, resorting to a black marker in hand, he leaves his signature wherever he gets the opportunity to do so.

It’s a little unorthodox, but what it means is that it doesn’t matter how you go about being creative, what matters is that you find a way to do it. Although we aren’t condoning you to run around the city and mark up the walls… seeing as there could be a penalty to face if you were caught; what matter’s is that you find something that you get a thrill for doing.

The days of youth are not behind you, they are merely waiting for you to start expressing yourself creatively again. Whether it’s changing your look, drawing a picture, seeing the world, or writing something, as long as you are engaged, your message will find a way to get through.

If you’re passionate about aging creatively, tweet #creativeaging and tell us how you plan to do it. Follow us here: www.twitter.com/serclab