By Lois Requist

I continue to learn from my friend Judie Donaldson, as I did with her column last week about attitude adjustment and what older people prefer to be called. Because there has been so much negativity around growing older, it may be that a phrase everyone likes hasn’t been invented yet.
Village Movement   California has a simple logo. It is this:
Aging.
Better.
The periods are intentional, an encouragement to pause and reflect after each word. Indeed, we are aging from the very beginning of our life. Since I’ve been involved with Carquinez Village and the village movement, I’ve rejected the phrase “aging in place” because it sounds very static and dull. The phrase “put out to pasture” comes to mind.
Many people don’t connect energy and dynamic actions with older people. When we marched in the parade a couple of weeks ago, we handed out a business card that said, “Redefining Aging!” That’s precisely what we’re about. If you’re in the mature and older part of life—sixty and above—we’re about making the rest of life better.
One of the things that came as a surprise to some of us as we became involved with setting up and launching a village was that, while the services we provide—the rides, the telephone calls, the home assistance—are important, the social connections are even more important and necessary for a healthy lifestyle. We are redefining aging every time we take a step forward, making the rest of our life and the lives of others more interesting, more diverse, and more connected.
Speaking of social connections, one of our most fun events is coming up Aug. 17. That’s our Wine & Lite Bites fundraiser at Alan and Alice Plutchok’s home, which used to be the Benicia Library. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., we socialize, bid on silent auction items or on the live auction offerings. In their spacious home, there’s ample room to sit or move around. If you don’t know a soul when you come, I guarantee you’ll know more when you leave. It’s $10 for members and $25 for nonmembers. You can go to our website, www.carquinezvillage.com for more information or call 707-297-2472 to make a reservation.
By the way, if you would like to donate something for either of the auctions, let us know at the above number.
Another thing I’ve been meaning to mention is a book, “The Spectrum of Hope. An Optimistic and New Approach to Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias” by Gayatri Devi, MD. I heard the author speak on National Public Radio and bought the book. Ms. Devi has been treating these diseases for years. The book is filled with stories about her patients, without their real names or identifying details, of course.    It is by far the most optimistic viewpoint than I’ve seen anywhere else. She bases that on Alzheimer’s being a spectrum disease and provides many examples of people who have some level of impairment but, with the proper care, continue working and living normal lives.
When Dr. Devi describes her patients, she sees the whole person. Does the patient have any other health issues? How are their social skills and their life skills? Her treatment programs often involve medication, along with life style changes. I found the stories fascinating and the overall approach positive.
You’ll hear it here, as you hear it everywhere, physical activity is important. To age better, in your case, might begin with a few more steps a day. I’m participating in a study on aging. They say, whatever you’re doing, do a little more.
The study on aging also asks questions. They want to know how often I see friends. How often do people come to my house? How often do I talk with others? Social connections make a difference in our health. I meet a group of friends for coffee three days a week.    Someone said, have you figured out how much you would save by drinking coffee at home. Yes, but I’ve made connection with a whole set of people that I wouldn’t have known otherwise and they add value to my life.
Here’s a challenge: do something this week that makes your life better. Then, write about it or call and tell us. I hope to hear from you! Again, the number is 707-297-2472.

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